<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>English &#8211; Jesu.pl</title>
	<atom:link href="https://jesu.pl/english/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>https://jesu.pl</link>
	<description>Walczymy o wiarę raz przekazaną świętym/apostołom</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Sun, 09 Aug 2026 12:34:18 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>pl-PL</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>
	hourly	</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>
	1	</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.3</generator>

<image>
	<url>https://jesu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/cropped-1aaaabc-32x32.jpg</url>
	<title>English &#8211; Jesu.pl</title>
	<link>https://jesu.pl</link>
	<width>32</width>
	<height>32</height>
</image> 
	<item>
		<title>A person can kill the body, but cannot kill the soul… This is checkmate for murderers – Part 2</title>
		<link>https://jesu.pl/a-person-can-kill-the-body-but-cannot-kill-the-soul-this-is-checkmate-for-murderers-part-2/</link>
					<comments>https://jesu.pl/a-person-can-kill-the-body-but-cannot-kill-the-soul-this-is-checkmate-for-murderers-part-2/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hubert Brzoza]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 08 Aug 2026 22:01:31 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jesu.pl/?p=3899</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Table of Contents ≡ 1. 1. Is reincarnation real? (Part 1) 2. 2. After death, the rich man realized there was no return. (Part 1) 3. 3. What does the human being actually consist of? (Part 2) 4. 4. Spirit and breath. What are they? (Part 3) 5. 5. The human spirit. How can it [&#8230;]</p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/a-person-can-kill-the-body-but-cannot-kill-the-soul-this-is-checkmate-for-murderers-part-2/">A person can kill the body, but cannot kill the soul… This is checkmate for murderers – Part 2</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p align="center"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #808080;"><span style="color: #1e4f9a;">Table of Contents</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="center"><span style="color: #808080;"><span style="color: #1e4f9a;">≡</span></span></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #808080;"><span style="color: #1e4f9a;">1. 1. Is reincarnation real? (Part 1)</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #808080;"><span style="color: #1e4f9a;">2. 2. After death, the rich man realized there was no return. (Part 1)</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #808080;"><span style="color: #1e4f9a;">3. 3. What does the human being actually consist of? (Part 2)</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #808080;"><span style="color: #1e4f9a;">4. 4. Spirit and breath. What are they? (Part 3)</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #808080;"><span style="color: #1e4f9a;">5. 5. The human spirit. How can it be protected? (Part 4)</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #808080;"><span style="color: #1e4f9a;">6. 6. The human soul. Can it be killed? (Part 5)</span></span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>3 – What does the human figure really consist of? – </b></span></span></span><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>(Part 2)</b></span></span></span></strong></h2>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>3.1 Based on 1 Thessalonians 5:23, it can be said that the human being is composed of spirit, soul, and body:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May the God of peace </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">H</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">imself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless for the coming of our Lord, Yeshu the Anointed One&#8221; — 1 Thessalonians 5:23.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let&#8217;s try a slightly more difficult version of this verse:</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May the God of peace </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">H</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">imself sanctify you completely/entire/whole / complete / without omission / undamaged (G3648), and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved/ undamaged / safeguarded / protected (G5083) blameless (G274) at the coming of our Lord, Yeshu the Anointed One&#8221; — 1 Thessalonians 5:23.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The verse contains these three words, which we discuss in detail in the articles:</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">spirit &#8211; πνεῦμα / pneuma, </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">soul &#8211; ψυχή / psychē, </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">body &#8211; σῶμα / sōma.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The text shows that, before God, man consists of spirit, soul, and body. These are very important matters for understanding who and what we are.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>3.2 Soul and spirit in the verses</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This verse does not describe the entire makeup of a human being, but it reveals something important: the Word of God distinguishes between soul and spirit just as the body distinguishes between joints and marrow. A person has a physical aspect as well as a deep inner self that they often cannot clearly discern themselves:</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;For the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart&#8221; — Hebrews 4:12.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here, the body is portrayed as dust returning to the earth, and the spirit as that which returns to God. This strongly confirms that the body and the spirit are not the same:</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it&#8221; — Ecclesiastes 12:7.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The next verse shows the relationship between body and spirit;</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead&#8221; — James 2:26.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The human body is visible; it can be recognized. But if the spirit is absent, there is no life.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">James then applies this image to faith: faith without works is dead.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In other words, one can speak of faith, know the right words, and claim to believe, but if that faith does not bear good fruit, it is dead.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">What does this verse say about the spirit?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It shows that the spirit is linked to the life of the body.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">James does not say: a body without joy is dead. He does not say: a body without thought is dead.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He says: a body without the spirit is dead.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is important.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here, the spirit is not merely an emotion or a psychological state. It is presented as a reality without which the human body is dead.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Just as a body without the spirit is merely a dead body, so faith without works is merely a dead profession.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let us now turn to a very interesting verse:</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna” — Matthew 10:28.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">What does Christ say in this verse?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A person can destroy the body; they can bring about the body&#8217;s death. But they have no ultimate power over the spirit and the soul. When a person is murdered, or when a loved one dies, we must realize that the person has merely lost their body. The spirit and soul continue to exist. One need only restore the body, and the person lives in the body once more.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">With this design—this process of human creation—the Lord God has checkmated satan and his servants. They may instigate wars, murders, and cruel crimes, but in reality, they kill only the body.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let us remember this verse, for it transforms our perspective on human death. In Matthew 10:28, the Lord Yeshu speaks very clearly: a person can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. This means that, in this verse, the soul is not the same thing as the body.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>3.3 </b></span></span></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Let’s Summarize</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Apostle Paul says that throughout our lives we are to care for these three elements of our being: spirit, soul, and body. These three elements are to be preserved—protected from defilement, corruption, and destruction—until the coming of Christ.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This meaning is also confirmed by 2 Corinthians 7:1, where Paul speaks of cleansing not only the body but also the spirit:</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” — 2 Corinthians 7:1.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is important. Sin can affect the body, but it can also affect the spirit. Therefore, a person must care not only for their outward appearance but also for their inner state before God.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">That is why we need to clearly understand what the spirit and the soul are. Then we will be able to protect them from destruction or corruption. Just as we must care for the body and our health, we must also care for the spirit and the soul.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible presents the human being as a whole comprising spirit, soul, and body. We must accept this as a fact and then examine individually what the spirit, the soul, and the body are. Without this foundation, one might easily reduce oneself merely to the body, whereas the Bible presents a broader perspective on the subject.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The body can be killed by man, but man cannot kill the soul. Paul prays that the whole person—spirit, soul, and body—may be preserved blameless for the coming of the Lord.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I invite you to join me for the subsequent parts of this series.</span></span></span></p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/a-person-can-kill-the-body-but-cannot-kill-the-soul-this-is-checkmate-for-murderers-part-2/">A person can kill the body, but cannot kill the soul… This is checkmate for murderers – Part 2</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://jesu.pl/a-person-can-kill-the-body-but-cannot-kill-the-soul-this-is-checkmate-for-murderers-part-2/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Reincarnation. After Death, the Rich Man Realized There Was No Turning Back… – Part 1</title>
		<link>https://jesu.pl/reincarnation-after-death-the-rich-man-realized-there-was-no-turning-back-part-1/</link>
					<comments>https://jesu.pl/reincarnation-after-death-the-rich-man-realized-there-was-no-turning-back-part-1/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hubert Brzoza]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 02 Aug 2026 16:55:28 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jesu.pl/?p=3875</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>1. Is Reincarnation Real? Reincarnation is the belief that a person’s existence does not end at death; instead, their &#8222;soul,&#8221; &#8222;consciousness,&#8221; or &#8222;self&#8221; returns to life in another body. Put simply: a person dies → leaves the body → is reborn as another human, an animal, or a living being. • Eastern religions — describe [&#8230;]</p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/reincarnation-after-death-the-rich-man-realized-there-was-no-turning-back-part-1/">Reincarnation. After Death, the Rich Man Realized There Was No Turning Back… – Part 1</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h1 class="western"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="font-family: Basic;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">1. Is Reincarnation Real?</span></span></span></h1>
<p><span style="color: #767676;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Reincarnation is the belief that a person’s existence does not end at death; instead, their &#8222;soul,&#8221; &#8222;consciousness,&#8221; or &#8222;self&#8221; returns to life in another body.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #767676;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Put simply: a person dies → leaves the body → is reborn as another human, an animal, or a living being.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Eastern religions — describe reincarnation as a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth from which a person is eventually meant to be liberated. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Karma — refers to the belief that actions in one’s current life influence one’s destiny in the next incarnation. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">New Age — presents reincarnation as a spiritual &#8222;school&#8221; where the soul returns to Earth to gain experience. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Esotericism and occultism — link reincarnation to practices aimed at seeking knowledge about &#8222;past lives&#8221; apart from God. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pop culture — portrays reincarnation as a mysterious tale of returns, past lives, and unfinished business.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">These are the most common views regarding human life and death held by many people.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let us instead turn to God—the Creator of the entire world—for knowledge.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let us examine the Bible to see what happens to a person after death.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">How many times does a person actually die?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Is reincarnation real?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We can understand reincarnation if we analyze the whole subject: spirit, soul, and body.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The answers will be fascinating…</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">2. After death, the rich man realized there was no turning back…</span></span></span></h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let us begin with the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man:</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;There was a certain rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and feasted sumptuously every day. There was also a poor man named Lazarus, laid at his gate, covered with sores. He longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; and even the dogs came and licked his sores. </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And it came to pass that the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; the rich man also died and was buried. And being in Hades, in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham from afar, and Lazarus in his bosom. </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And he cried out: Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in pain in this flame. </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But Abraham said: Child, remember that you received your good things in your lifetime, and Lazarus likewise the bad; but now he is comforted here, and you are in pain. And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who wish to pass from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us. </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then he said: I beg you, therefore, father, to send him to my father’s house. For I have five brothers—let him bear witness to them, so that they too do not come to this place of torment. </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Abraham said to him: They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them. </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But he said: No, Father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent. </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And he said to him: If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, then even if someone from&#8230;&#8221; &#8230;someone rises from the dead, they will not be convinced” — Luke 16:19-31.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let&#8217;s see how much controversy there is here:</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>2.1 – Is it a parable or a description of reality after death?</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some see this as a parable or story told by Christ, while others believe it describes the actual state of life after death.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>2.2 – Is a person conscious after death?</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The text depicts the rich man after his death: conscious, speaking, remembering his family, and suffering.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>2.3 – What is Hades?</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Biblical verses state that a person undergoes punishment following God&#8217;s judgment. Punishments involving so-called fire take place in Gehenna or the lake of fire. Here, however, the text speaks of Hades. The Bible describes Hades and Sheol as the place where people go after death; here, they are depicted as involving punishment by fire.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>2.4 – Can one change one&#8217;s fate after death?</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The text speaks of a &#8222;great chasm&#8221; that cannot be crossed, so no return to earth after death is depicted here. Yet, we have a verse suggesting that the Gospel was preached to the dead. To what end? Why?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><a style="color: #000080;" href="https://jesu.pl/is-the-good-news-preached-to-the-dead/"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Is The Good News Preached to The Dead?</b></u></span></span></a></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>2.5 – Can the dead return and warn the living?</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #000000;">The rich man asks Abraham to send the deceased Lazarus to his brothers to teach them how to live wisely. Abraham replies that they should listen to Moses and the Prophets. He does not deny that the dead could be sent.</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>2.6 – Does this passage contradict reincarnation?</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The story of the rich man confirms that the spirit or soul does not die; it can rise and appear to the living. It also challenges the concept of reincarnation, as it depicts death, a conscious state following death, and the absence of any return to a new earthly life. The rich man cannot return to his brothers on his own initiative; instead, he asks Abraham for permission to send someone back from the dead.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">To understand these various controversies, one must look at what the Creator of this world says. He knows best what happens to a person after death: do we die once, twice, or many times? Is it possible to continue living after death? Does a person feel anything? Does one even remain a human being at that stage? These are just a few of the questions involved.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I invite you to read the next article in this series, but in the meantime, dear reader, consider this thought:</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And just as it is appointed for people to die once, and after that, judgment.&#8221; — Hebrews 9:27.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Greek text:</strong><strong> καὶ καθ&#8217; ὅσον ἀπόκειται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἅπαξ ἀποθανεῖν, μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο κρίσις</strong></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Key words &#8211; Strong:</strong></span></span></span></p>
<table width="665" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="12">
<thead>
<tr bgcolor="#f2f2f2">
<th width="108">
<p align="left"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Greek</b></span></span></span></p>
</th>
<th width="119">
<p align="left"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Transliteration</b></span></span></span></p>
</th>
<th width="79">
<p align="left"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Strong</span></span></span></p>
</th>
<th width="261">
<p align="left"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Meaning</b></span></span></span></p>
</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="108"><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">ἀπόκειται</span></span></span></strong></td>
<td width="119"><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">apokeitai</span></span></span></em></td>
<td width="79"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">G606</span></span></span></td>
<td width="261"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is set aside, designated, allocated, and decided upon.</span></span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="108"><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">ἀνθρώποις</span></span></span></strong></td>
<td width="119"><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">anthrōpois</span></span></span></em></td>
<td width="79"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">G444</span></span></span></td>
<td width="261"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">to people, to the individual as a human being</span></span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="108"><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">ἅπαξ</span></span></span></strong></td>
<td width="119"><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">hapax</span></span></span></em></td>
<td width="79"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">G530</span></span></span></td>
<td width="261"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">once, one time, on a single occasion</span></span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="108"><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">ἀποθανεῖν</span></span></span></strong></td>
<td width="119"><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">apothanein</span></span></span></em></td>
<td width="79"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">G599</span></span></span></td>
<td width="261"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">To die</span></span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="108"><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο</span></span></span></strong></td>
<td width="119"><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">meta de touto</span></span></span></em></td>
<td width="79"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">G3326 / G5124</span></span></span></td>
<td width="261"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">and after that, then, subsequently</span></span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="108"><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">κρίσις</span></span></span></strong></td>
<td width="119"><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">krisis</span></span></span></em></td>
<td width="79"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">G2920</span></span></span></td>
<td width="261"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">court, judgment, resolution</span></span></span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">My</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Analysis:</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This verse says: </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>it is appointed for people to die once, and then comes judgment.</b></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The word</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> ἅπαξ / hapax / G530</b></span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> is very important here, as it means </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>&#8222;once.&#8221;</b></span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The text does not speak of multiple deaths, multiple earthly lives, or a cycle of returns; it speaks of a single human death and the judgment that follows it.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The word </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>κρίσις / krisis / G2920</b></span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> signifies judgment, a decision, or a verdict. Thus, after death, a person does not pass into another incarnation but instead faces God’s verdict.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let&#8217;s throw in a few more verses&#8230;</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Responsibility for life in the body:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For we must all be revealed before the tribunal of the Anointed One, so that each one may receive according to what he has done through the body, whether good or bad” — 2 Corinthians 5:10.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Resurrection, not reincarnation:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come out: those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment&#8221; — John 5:28-29.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The appointed day of judgment:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Because </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">H</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">e has set a day on which </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">H</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">e will judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by the Man whom </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">H</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">e has appointed, giving proof to all by raising </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hi</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">m from the dead” — Acts 17:31.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/reincarnation-after-death-the-rich-man-realized-there-was-no-turning-back-part-1/">Reincarnation. After Death, the Rich Man Realized There Was No Turning Back… – Part 1</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://jesu.pl/reincarnation-after-death-the-rich-man-realized-there-was-no-turning-back-part-1/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>JUDITH. Beauty and deceit. Did she kill by the will of God?</title>
		<link>https://jesu.pl/judith-beauty-and-deceit-did-she-kill-by-the-will-of-god/</link>
					<comments>https://jesu.pl/judith-beauty-and-deceit-did-she-kill-by-the-will-of-god/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hubert Brzoza]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 2026 21:39:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jesu.pl/?p=3840</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Book of Judith presents a woman who steps forward in a time of grave peril. The city is under siege, the people are weakening, the leaders are losing heart, and the enemy appears overwhelming. It is precisely then that Judith comes to the fore. She kills the enemy and saves Israel. The crucial question [&#8230;]</p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/judith-beauty-and-deceit-did-she-kill-by-the-will-of-god/">JUDITH. Beauty and deceit. Did she kill by the will of God?</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Book of Judith presents a woman who steps forward in a time of grave peril. The city is under siege, the people are weakening, the leaders are losing heart, and the enemy appears overwhelming. It is precisely then that Judith comes to the fore. She kills the enemy and saves Israel.</span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The crucial question is this: did Judith act in accordance with God’s will, or did she sin through her use of deception and the killing of Holofernes?</span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here is an introduction to Judith’s story, followed by an analysis:</span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Nebuchadnezzar sought to crush the nations that refused to submit to him. It was not merely a matter of conventional warfare; it was about dominion, fear, and absolute subjugation. Anyone who failed to acknowledge his authority was to be punished.</i></span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>To this end, he dispatched Holofernes, the commander of his army. Holofernes advanced as an instrument of destruction. His mission was to punish cities, strip people of their security, crush resistance, and force nations into submission, servitude, and the abandonment of their faith. Eventually, his army turned against Israel as well.</i></span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Bethulia found itself in mortal danger. Water supplies were running low. The people were growing weak. The leaders began to contemplate surrender. From a human perspective, the cause seemed all but lost.</i></span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Then, Judith appeared.</i></span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>She was not a soldier. She had no army. She was a widow, a woman known for her fear of God. First, she prayed. Then, she cast off her widow’s garments, bathed, anointed herself, arranged her hair, and donned the festive attire she had worn during her husband’s lifetime.</i></span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>When she entered the enemy camp, her beauty immediately stirred the guards. They saw a remarkable woman—beautiful, composed, and courageous. She did not look like someone broken by fear. That gave them pause; that astonished them. And it was precisely for this reason that she was brought before Holofernes.</i></span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Holofernes, too, was deceived. He looked at Judith with eyes full of lust and arrogance. He believed she had come to him, yet in reality, it was he who had walked into a trap. Judith did not surrender herself to him; she had not come for illicit intimacy. She came so that his own wickedness would bring about his downfall.</i></span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Thus begins the most difficult part of this story. A great commander, a vast army, and immense fear stood arrayed against a single woman.</i></span></span></em></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let’s see what the verses say, and then we’ll draw some conclusions.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Judith was a God-fearing woman:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;She was very beautiful in appearance and lovely of face, and her husband had left her gold, silver, menservants, maidservants, livestock, and fields. And no one spoke a bad word about her, for she greatly feared God&#8221; — Judith 8:7–8.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the first significant description of Judith. She was a widow who maintained a serious demeanor, fasted, lived an upright life, and enjoyed a good reputation. Her beauty is not portrayed as a sin; it is part of who she is, yet it is not the most important thing. What matters most is that she “feared God greatly.”</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Judith saw the leaders&#8217; mistake:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Who are you to put God to the test this day and set yourselves above God among the sons of men?&#8221; — Judith 8:12.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The city leaders wanted to set a deadline for God. If help did not arrive by the appointed time, they intended to surrender. Judith firmly rejected this. She understood that no human has the right to say to God: &#8222;You have this many days, and then we will stop trusting You.&#8221;</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Judith understood the test:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;We have no other God but Him. Therefore, let us await deliverance from Him, and He will deliver us if He so wills&#8221; — Judith 8:19–20.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The people were exhausted, thirsty, and frightened. In such a moment, it is easiest to make a mistake, to give up, to turn away from God. Surrendering to the enemy meant abandoning faith in the true God.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Judith prayed first, and only then took action:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;God of my father Simeon, You placed a sword in his hand to take vengeance on the strangers who undid the virgin’s belt to her dishonor&#8221; — Judith 9:2.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Grant into my hand the strength of a widow, that I may accomplish what I have planned&#8221; — Judith 9:9.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Before Judith went to the enemy camp, she humbled herself before God. She prayed and asked for strength, for help in carrying out the plan.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Judith put on garments of joy:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;She took off her sackcloth, removed the garments of her widowhood, washed her body with water, anointed herself with costly oil, arranged her hair, put on a headband, and dressed in the festive garments of joy that she used to wear during the lifetime of her husband Manasseh&#8221; — Judith 10:3.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Judith made deliberate use of her appearance. She prepared herself to enter the enemy camp and draw attention to herself. Was that act in itself a sin?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The text does not say that she sinned through her beauty. A woman’s beauty is not a sin. It would be a sin to use it for debauchery, adultery, or pride. Judith does not go to Holofernes for the purpose of prostitution. She goes as a woman carrying out a dangerous plan in wartime.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Her beauty became a trap for the man who looked at her with an impure heart. Holofernes desired to possess her. Judith did not give herself to him.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Did her appearance provoke desire?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Was that a transgression?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scripture states that Judith dressed in the festive garments of joy she used to wear for her husband. She did not dress as a prostitute. She cast off her mourning clothes and put on the dignified, beautiful attire from her married life. That was no offense; it was how she used to dress for her husband.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. Judith did not commit sexual immorality:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;As the Lord lives, who protected me on the path I walked: my face misled him to his ruin, yet he committed no sin with me to defile or shame me&#8221; — Judith 13:16.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Judith herself says that Holofernes did not sin with her. There was no disgrace, sexual immorality, or adultery. Her appearance deceived the enemy, but her body was not surrendered to sin.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. Was the killing of Holofernes an act of war?</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Lord, God of Israel, strengthen me this day&#8221; — Judith 13:7.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Judith killed Holofernes while he lay drunk. It is a powerful and disturbing image. It cannot be sanitized. Yet, one must remember who Holofernes was. He was an army commander. He had come to destroy the people, to starve them by cutting off their water supply, and to eradicate faith in the true God.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Many of God’s servants—King David, for instance—carried out difficult missions. The mere fact that someone fought, used deception, or committed a harsh act does not settle the matter. The crucial question is: did this mission come from God?</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">If a mission comes from God, a person does not act for personal glory, revenge, or gain. They act because God is saving His people, halting evil, and executing His judgment. It is not enough to say, &#8222;Her deed was wrong.&#8221; One must ask, &#8222;Does the text show that God was with her and used her hand to save Israel?&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let us see how the leaders of Israel reacted.</span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>8. The elders blessed Judith:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God, above all women on earth. And blessed be the Lord God, who created heaven and earth, who guided you to strike the head of the leader of our enemies&#8221; — Judith 13:18.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When Judith returned with the head of Holofernes, she was not condemned. She was not called a sinner. She was not accused of disgrace. The elders of the city blessed her and blessed God.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>9. The priest and the elders acknowledged the good she had done:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;You are the exaltation of Jerusalem, you are the great pride of Israel, you are the great joy of our nation. You have done all this by your own hand; you have done good to Israel, and God was pleased with it&#8221; — Judith 15:9–10.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The text states that Judith did good for Israel and that God was pleased with this. This is no small praise. It is a strong affirmation that, in the eyes of the book’s author, Judith was not a condemned woman, but a woman through whom deliverance came.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. They composed a song about Judith:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;The Almighty Lord defeated them by the hand of a woman&#8221; — Judith 16:5.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Did Judith sin?</b></span></span></span></h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: 14pt;">If we ask whether Judith committed sexual immorality, the answer is no. The text clearly states that Holofernes did not defile her.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: 14pt;">If we ask whether she used deception, the answer is yes. There is no point in hiding it; Judith used deception against the enemy. However, the Book of Judith does not portray this as an ordinary lie in everyday life, but as an act of war at a time when her people were in danger.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: 14pt;">If we ask whether she killed a man, the answer is yes. She killed an army commander. The text presents this as the salvation of Israel, not as a private crime.</span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Conclusion</b></span></span></span></h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the Book of Judith, Judith is portrayed as a servant of God. She was a God-fearing, wise, and a courageous woman, ready to risk her own life to save her people.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">She was not a promiscuous woman. She is not depicted as a sinner condemned by God; on the contrary, the text states that God saved Israel through her, and the elders and priests blessed her for the good she had done.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Within the Book of Judith itself, her deed is acknowledged and praised by God’s servants and the leaders of Israel.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">First, Uzziah, one of the elders or leaders of Bethulia, tells Judith that she is blessed by the Most High God and that God has directed her to &#8222;strike the head&#8221; of the enemy commander—Judith 13:18.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then Joakim (or Eliakim), the high priest, together with the elders of Israel, comes to Judith and declares that she is the &#8222;exaltation of Jerusalem&#8221; and the &#8222;pride of Israel,&#8221; noting that she has done good for Israel and that God was pleased with this (Judith 15:8–10). Mention is also made of Achior the Ammonite, who, upon seeing what God had accomplished through Judith, came to believe in the God of Israel and was joined to the people of Israel (Judith 14:6–10).</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Her feat was acknowledged by Uzziah, the high priest Joakim/Eliakim, the elders of Israel, and Achior. The text does not portray them as condemning her, but rather as witnesses who recognize the deliverance granted by God in her deed. Judith’s action was recounted by the anonymous author of the Book of Judith, and within the book itself, it was affirmed by Judith, Uzziah, Achior, the high priest, and the elders of Israel.</span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is the Book of Judith reliable?</b></span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Book of Judith was most likely written between the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, probably within a Judean-Jewish milieu shaped by the memory of the struggles over the Temple. Some do not accept it because it was not included in the Hebrew canon, has survived primarily in Greek, and presents historical difficulties. There are strong indications that it may have originally been written in Hebrew, though the Hebrew text has not survived. The Book of Judith is included in the Septuagint and is recognized within Catholic and Orthodox traditions, yet it is absent from the jewish and protestant canons.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The conclusion to be drawn is this: if we believe in the authenticity of the Book of Judith—that is, that it was written under divine inspiration—then Judith’s deed was a mission either approved or inspired by God. We ought to grasp a Biblical truth: God’s servants have killed their adversaries. Christ, as the Supreme Judge, will likewise utterly destroy those who align themselves with lies, hypocrisy, and satanic doctrine.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">I recommend reading the Book of Judith or listening to an audio version; it is truly inspiring.</span></span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/judith-beauty-and-deceit-did-she-kill-by-the-will-of-god/">JUDITH. Beauty and deceit. Did she kill by the will of God?</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://jesu.pl/judith-beauty-and-deceit-did-she-kill-by-the-will-of-god/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Do jewelry and makeup distance a woman from God?</title>
		<link>https://jesu.pl/do-jewelry-and-makeup-distance-a-woman-from-god/</link>
					<comments>https://jesu.pl/do-jewelry-and-makeup-distance-a-woman-from-god/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hubert Brzoza]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 16:36:30 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jesu.pl/?p=3832</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>God created a beautiful and colorful world. He adorned the flowers beautifully, gave birds their colors, animals their patterns, stones their luster, and the sky its light. Therefore, beauty itself is not the problem. The problem arises when a person uses beauty for pride, seduction, rivalry, or self-display. The Bible does not give women rules [&#8230;]</p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/do-jewelry-and-makeup-distance-a-woman-from-god/">Do jewelry and makeup distance a woman from God?</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">God created a beautiful and colorful world. He adorned the flowers beautifully, gave birds their colors, animals their patterns, stones their luster, and the sky its light.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Therefore, beauty itself is not the problem. The problem arises when a person uses beauty for pride, seduction, rivalry, or self-display.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible does not give women rules such as &#8222;this color is allowed, that one isn&#8217;t,&#8221; or &#8222;these nails are good, those are bad.&#8221; God gives simpler and more powerful principles: purity, modesty, good judgment, feminine dignity, and a heart submitted to God.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">A woman can be well-groomed, beautiful, colorful, elegant, and feminine. She need not shy away from beauty. She simply must ensure that her appearance does not say: &#8222;look at my body,&#8221; &#8222;look at my wealth,&#8221; or &#8222;look at how beautiful I am.&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">What matters most is that one&#8217;s appearance aligns with a heart that truly desires to serve God.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">See what God says to women and men.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. God created a beautiful world:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good&#8221; — Genesis 1:31.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Beauty is not an invention of the world. Beauty begins with God. It is He who created colors, light, shapes, scents, and harmony. Therefore, biblical modesty does not mean ugliness. It means beauty in good order.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Creation is full of God’s wisdom:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;How numerous are Your works, YHWH! You have made everything in wisdom; the earth is full of Your creatures&#8221; — Psalm 104:24.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">God did not create a world devoid of expression. He bestowed diversity upon the flowers, the animals, the sky, the sea, and the earth. It is right to appreciate beauty, but we should remember that beauty serves wisdom, not pride.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. God clothes the flowers beautifully:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin. Yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of them&#8221; — Matthew 6:28-29.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. The beauty of creation surpasses royal wealth:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of them&#8221; — Luke 12:27.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The same image is repeated in the Gospel of Luke. It shows that beauty from God has no need for vanity. We are meant to be beautiful—especially spiritually.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. God allowed beauty in service:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.” — Exodus 28:2.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">God did not say, &#8222;the uglier, the better.&#8221; In the vestments for service, He allowed for beauty, dignity, and meticulous care. This is an important principle: beauty can be pure if it is submitted to God.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. God used colors and noble materials:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;They shall make the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a skilled craftsman&#8221; — Exodus 28:6.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Blue, purple, crimson, gold, and linen were not bad in themselves. God made use of colors and beautiful materials. Therefore, a woman need not fear color; she simply must ensure that color and adornment do not become a language of pride.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. After the fall, man began to cover his nakedness:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they wove fig leaves together and made themselves coverings&#8221; — Genesis 3:7.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">From the moment sin entered the world, shame regarding nakedness appeared. This demonstrates that the body is not meant for public display. Clothing is intended to protect dignity, not to turn the body into a spectacle.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>8. God Himself gave man clothing:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And </span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"> made garments of skins for Adam and his wife, and clothed them&#8221; — Genesis 3:21.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">This shows that covering the body is not a human invention but belongs to the divine order. Public nudity is not part of God&#8217;s order.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>9. God does not treat nakedness lightly:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;You shall not go up by steps to My altar, lest your nakedness be exposed there&#8221; — Exodus 20:26.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">This text illustrates the principle of dignity. Nakedness was not meant to be exposed. The body is not a matter of indifference; it is to be covered.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. The garment was intended to cover the body:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;You shall make linen trousers for them to cover their nakedness; they shall reach from the hips to the thighs&#8221; — Exodus 28:42.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here, God speaks very practically: a garment is meant to cover. This is not a matter of fashion, but a principle of dignity.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>11. Nakedness can be an image of spiritual shame:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">I advise you to buy from Me white garments, so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed” — Revelation 3:18.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">God shows that public nudity can signify disgrace.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>12. Blessed is he who keeps watch over his garments:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, so that he does not walk naked and his shame is not seen” — Revelation 16:15.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">This image speaks of watchfulness, purity, and readiness. The garment reveals the state of a person before God.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>13. Beauty without the fear of God is fragile:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; the woman who fears YHWH—she shall be praised&#8221; — Proverbs 31:30.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Beauty fades. Fashion passes. The body changes. If someone regards these things as the most important values ​​in life, they will be disappointed.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>14. A good woman can wear beautiful clothes:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;She makes coverings for herself; linen and purple are her clothing&#8221; — Proverbs 31:22.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The woman of Proverbs 31 is not described as unkempt. She wears fine, beautiful, and high-quality clothing. This passage clearly shows that beautiful clothing is not a sin. Vanity, pride, and worthlessness are the sins.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>15. Clothing is also meant to protect the home:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;She does not fear the snow for her household, for her entire household is doubly clothed&#8221; — Proverbs 31:21.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Clothing has a practical dimension. A wise woman ensures the warmth, safety, order, and dignity of the home. It is not just about appearance; it is about care, foresight, and responsibility.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>16. Dignity can be like clothing:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the days to come&#8221; — Proverbs 31:25.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">A woman’s most beautiful attire is not merely fabric; it is strength, purity, dignity, and serenity. Such a woman need not shout through her appearance, for her life possesses beauty in the eyes of God.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>17. Purity and joy are not opposed to each other:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Let your garments always be white, and let not oil be lacking on your head&#8221; — Ecclesiastes 9:8.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The whiteness of the garments signifies purity, while the oil represents joy and grooming. The Bible does not teach neglect; it teaches purity and simple beauty devoid of impure intent.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>18. God clothes with salvation:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">I will greatly rejoice in YHWH; my soul will exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation and covered me with the robe of righteousness” — Isaiah 61:10.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>19. Filthy garments signify guilt; clean ones, purification:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Joshua was dressed in filthy garments and stood before the messenger. And he answered and said to those standing before him: 'Remove the filthy garments from him'&#8221; — Zechariah 3:3-4.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The garment here reveals a spiritual state. The filth is removed, and the person receives a clean covering.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>20. The bride has clean linen:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;She was granted to be clothed in shining, clean linen; for the linen represents the righteous acts of the saints&#8221; — Revelation 19:8.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bride is not depicted amidst filth or chaos. She is clothed in clean linen. It is a spiritual image, yet a very powerful one: the outward appearance is meant to reflect a pure life.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>21. White robes speak of purification:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” — Revelation 7:14.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">A clean robe is a sign of the purification of the spirit here.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>22. A woman should dress modestly and sensibly:</b></span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">Likewise, women should adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and sobriety—not with braided hair and gold, or pearls, or costly clothing” — 1 Timothy 2:9.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here, we are forbidden from using our appearance to project pride, wealth, or vanity.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paul does not say that a woman must be ugly, drab, unkempt, or devoid of adornment. He says that a woman who serves God should dress in an orderly, modest, and sensible manner. The point of the verse is this: do not base your worth on hairstyles, gold, pearls, or expensive clothing. Do not let your appearance scream wealth, sensuality, or a desire for admiration.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the very next verse—1 Timothy 2:10—Paul immediately reveals what should constitute a woman&#8217;s true adornment. See below:</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>23. Good deeds are the most beautiful adornment:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">But with good deeds, as is proper for women who profess reverence for God” — 1 Timothy 2:10.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paul points to the true adornment of a woman: good deeds. Clothing may be attractive, but it cannot replace integrity of life, a pure spirit, or the beauty of one’s personality. A woman may be beautiful, well-groomed, and elegant; yet her beauty is meant to be surrendered to God, not used for vanity, sedentation, or the display of status.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>24. Adornment must not be merely external:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">Do not let your adornment be merely outward—braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or putting on fine clothes” — 1 Peter 3:3.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Peter does not forbid every hairstyle, every piece of gold, or every garment—for then he would also have to forbid the wearing of clothes. The point is simple: do not base your worth on outward adornment.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>25. God values ​​a gentle and quiet spirit:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">But the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible quality of a mild and quiet spirit, which is of great value in the eyes of God” — 1 Peter 3:4.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is an adornment that time does not destroy. The face changes, the body changes, fashion changes. But a gentle, quiet, and pure spirit—or character—holds value in the sight of God.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>26. The godly women of old adorned themselves with hope in God:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p>“<span style="font-size: large;">For this is how the holy women of the past used to adorn themselves, who placed their hope in God” — 1 Peter 3:5.</span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The true adornment of holy women was hope in God, a gentle and quiet spirit, and good conduct.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>27. Headgear indicates order:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head” — 1 Corinthians 11:5.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paul links a woman’s appearance to the order established before God. He does not regard the body, head, and hair with indifference. A woman who prays must remember that her appearance can also express respect or a lack of respect for God’s order.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>28. A woman&#8217;s hair is not a matter of indifference:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;For if a woman does not cover herself, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or shaved, let her cover herself&#8221; — 1 Corinthians 11:6.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paul shows that a woman&#8217;s hair matters. It is a matter of feminine dignity and God&#8217;s order.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>29. Nature teaches the difference between man and woman:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair, it is a disgrace to him?” — 1 Corinthians 11:14.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">This text illustrates the principle of distinction. God created man and woman. Appearance should not blur this distinction. Hair is one of the visible signs of this difference.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>30. Long hair is a woman&#8217;s glory:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">If a woman lets her hair grow long, it is a glory to her, because her hair has been given to her instead of a covering” — 1 Corinthians 11:15.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Long hair is a woman&#8217;s glory. It is not a matter of counting centimeters, but of preserving feminine dignity and the distinction that God has inscribed in creation.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>31. The Bible recognizes specific exceptions regarding long hair on men:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">All the days of his vow of separation, no razor shall pass over his head; until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to YHWH, he shall be holy, letting the hair of his head grow long” — Numbers 6:5.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Nazirite vow was a special vow. This does not invalidate the principle found in 1 Corinthians 11, but it teaches us to view God’s laws wisely.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>32. Samson had a special calling:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">No razor shall touch his head, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb” — Judges 13:5.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Nazirite vow was a special vow made to God for a specific period or, in exceptional cases, from birth.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">It primarily entailed three things:</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-size: large;">Abstaining from wine or anything derived from the grapevine. The Nazirite was to maintain a state of special sobriety and separation. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-size: large;">Not cutting one’s hair. The hair served as a visible sign of the vow and of separation unto YHWH. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-size: large;">Not touching the dead. The Nazirite was to avoid ritual impurity, even in the case of close family.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>33. The distinction between the sexes must not be blurred:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for everyone who does so is an abomination to </span><span style="font-size: large;">Y</span><span style="font-size: large;">HWH, your God” — Deuteronomy 22:5.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a very strong principle. God created woman as woman and man as man. Clothing should not deliberately undermine this distinction. A woman should look feminine, dignified, and modest.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>34. There is an outfit designed for seduction:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And there a woman comes to meet him, dressed as a harlot and wily of heart&#8221; — Proverbs 7:10.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible shows that clothing can convey intentions. Not every attractive outfit is wrong, but there is clothing designed to incite lust. A woman should not use her clothing as a tool of seduction.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>35. Tamar’s covering of her face was interpreted as a sign of harlotry:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;She took off her widow’s garments, covered herself with a veil, wrapped herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim. Judah saw her and took her for a prostitute, because she had covered her face&#8221; — Genesis 38:14-15.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">This excerpt illustrates a simple point: one&#8217;s clothing and the way one presents oneself can convey a message.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>36. God rebukes the haughtiness of the daughters of Zion:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Because the daughters of Zion have become haughty, walk with outstretched necks, cast wanton glances, walk with mincing steps, and jingle the ornaments on their feet&#8221; — Isaiah 3:16.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">God does not rebuke beauty itself here. He rebukes arrogance, gestures, glances, the way one walks, and the use of adornments as a language of haughtiness. A woman may be beautiful, but not haughty.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>37. Excessive opulence can become a sign of decline:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;On that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, the crescent ornaments, the earrings, the armlets, and the veils&#8221; — Isaiah 3:18-19.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">This passage does not condemn a woman&#8217;s beauty itself. It condemns pride, ostentation, and haughtiness. The daughters of Zion used adornments, their gaze, and their manner of walking to draw attention to themselves. Therefore, God declares that He will take away the very things they boasted about. Beauty was not the problem. The problem was the heart that used beauty against God.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>38. When beauty is empty, disgrace remains:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Instead of perfume there will be stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well-groomed hair, baldness; instead of rich robes, a girding of sackcloth; instead of beauty, branding&#8221; — Isaiah 3:24.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">God reveals the end of pride. The daughters of Zion trusted in their appearance, ornaments, perfumes, and rich garments. God declared that all this would be reversed: instead of perfume, there would be rot; instead of adornment, disgrace; instead of beauty, disfigurement.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>39. Eye makeup appears in connection with Jezebel:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">Jezebel painted her eyes, adorned her head, and looked out the window.” — 2 Kings 9:30.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jezebel was not evil because she used makeup on her eyes. She was evil because of rebellion, idolatry, and violence. The text shows that beautification can be a form of manipulation and pride. Therefore, one must examine people&#8217;s hearts.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>40. Beautification will not hide spiritual emptiness:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Though you clothe yourself in purple, though you deck yourself with ornaments of gold, though you enlarge your eyes with paint—in vain you beautify yourself&#8221; — Jeremiah 4:30.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">God speaks to the unfaithful city using the image of a woman trying to save herself through her appearance. Outward beauty cannot mask spiritual betrayal. Clothing, jewelry, and makeup cannot mend the heart.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>41. Ornaments can serve the purpose of seduction:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">You bathed, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with ornaments” — Ezekiel 23:40.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The problem is not the object itself, but the purpose: seduction, infidelity, impurity.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>42. Adornments can become an instrument of unfaithfulness:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">She went after her lovers and forgot Me,” declares </span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">. “She adorned herself with her earrings and necklaces” — Hosea 2:13.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jewelry in itself is not the essence of the sin here. The essence is forgetting God. When adornments serve unfaithfulness, they become a testament to a fall rather than to beauty.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>43. God Himself describes the beautiful adornment:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;I clothed you with an embroidered robe, gave you sandals of fine leather, girded you with linen, and covered you with silk. I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck&#8221; — Ezekiel 16:10-11.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">In this imagery, God speaks of beautiful garments, bracelets, and a necklace. Thus, one cannot honestly say that every adornment is a sin; beauty can be a gift.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ezekiel 16 speaks primarily of Jerusalem—yet not merely of the city as a place on a map. Jerusalem is portrayed as an image of the covenant people whom God cleansed, adorned, and made beautiful, but who subsequently became unfaithful.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">God speaks to Jerusalem as He would to a woman.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">First, He reveals her beginnings: abandoned, unwanted, and helpless. Then He rescues, washes, clothes, and adorns her, bestowing dignity upon her. Finally, He points out her sin: she placed her trust in her beauty, her fame, and her gifts, using them to commit spiritual unfaithfulness.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>44. Beauty can come from God:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. You were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidery&#8221; — Ezekiel 16:12-13.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">God shows that beauty, fabrics, and ornaments can be a sign of giftedness. The problem arises only when a person ceases to remember who bestowed that beauty and begins to rely on themselves.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>45. Beauty can be spoiled by pride:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">You trusted in your beauty and played the whore because of your fame” — Ezekiel 16:15.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">God bestowed beauty, but beauty became a trap when the heart began to go astray. One cannot make beauty one&#8217;s god.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>46. ​​Rebekah received a gold ornament.</b></span></span></span></h3>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Abraham’s servant was looking for a wife for Isaac. He asked God for a sign. Rebekah showed kindness: she gave him a drink and watered his camels. When the servant saw that God was guiding the matter, he gave her a gold ornament and bracelets:</span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold nose ring weighing half a shekel and two bracelets for her arms” — Genesis 24:22.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Abraham’s servant gives Rebekah a costly gift because he recognizes that she might be the woman chosen for Isaac.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">In that world, such ornaments could signify:</span></span></p>
<p align="left"><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-size: large;">a lavish gift for the woman,</span></span></p>
<p align="left"><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-size: large;">a way of honoring her,</span></span></p>
<p align="left"><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-size: large;">a sign of serious intentions regarding marriage,</span></span></p>
<p align="left"><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-size: large;">a demonstration that Isaac’s family was not poor,</span></span></p>
<p align="left"><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-size: large;">the beginning of formal proceedings with Rebekah’s family.</span></span></p>
<p align="left"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The text does not state that Rebekah did anything wrong. The Bible does not portray this as a sin. There is no rebuke. There is no mention of Rebekah being vain. On the contrary—the entire chapter illustrates God’s guidance.</span></span></p>
<p align="left"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Therefore, Genesis 24:22 serves as a good example that jewelry in itself is not forbidden. The problem is not the earring itself. The issue may lie in the heart: pride, vanity, seductiveness, a desire to display wealth, or an attachment to outward appearance.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>47. Rebekah’s ornaments were not condemned:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-size: large;">So I took the earring and put it on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands.”—Genesis 24:47.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The story of Rebekah shows that an ornament can be part of dignity and a gift. Yet, that same object can become an expression of pride in another heart. Therefore, the most important question is: what is the spirit and the purpose?</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>48. Ornaments could be brought as an offering to God:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Men and women came, all whose hearts moved them; they brought brooches, earrings, rings, and necklaces—all kinds of gold objects&#8221; — Exodus 35:22.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ornaments could be dedicated to the service of God. This shows that gold and jewelry are not impure in themselves. What can be impure is the attachment of the heart, pride, and the use of an ornament for sin.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>49. The body belongs to God:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body&#8221; — 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">A woman&#8217;s body is not a commodity, an advertisement, or a tool to arouse desire. The body belongs to God. Therefore, clothing, hair, nails, makeup, and adornments should be worthy of a servant of God.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>50. Everything is to be for the glory of God:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God&#8221; — 1 Corinthians 10:31.</span></span></p></blockquote>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Summary:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hair</b></span></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>: </b></span></span></strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible clearly states that long hair is a woman&#8217;s glory. It does not prescribe a single hairstyle for all women, but it points the way: femininity, dignity, and order.</span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Nails</b></span></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>: </b></span></span></strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible does not give information about painting your nails. The general rule applies: cleanly, modestly, with dignity, without vanity and without the spirit of self-disclosure.</span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Jewelry</b></span></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>: </b></span></span></strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible does not forbid all jewelry. Rebekah received ornaments, and Ezekiel 16 portrays beauty as a gift. However, the Bible strongly warns that adornments can become instruments of pride, seduction, and unfaithfulness.</span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Makeup</b></span></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>: </b></span></span></strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scripture generally depicts eye makeup in a negative light, yet it does not forbid beautification. One must examine the intention: is it a matter of subtle grooming, or a mask of vanity and seduction?</span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Colors</b></span></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>: </b></span></span></strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">God created a colorful world. Flowers, birds, animals, stones, temple fabrics, and the sky show that God loves beauty. A godly woman need not be drab; she is meant to be spiritually pure.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">God gives a woman clear guidelines. He says: be pure, modest, sensible, feminine, dignified, and free from pride.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">A woman who serves God can be beautiful. She can wear nice clothes. She can enjoy color. She can care for her hair. She can look elegant. But her beauty must be submitted to God.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is a mistake to think that holiness means ugliness and neglect. God created beautiful flowers, a beautiful sky, beautiful animals, beautiful light, and beautiful colors.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Therefore, the simplest rule is this:</span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Let outward beauty be a reflection of our beautiful spirit. </b></span></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">We must ensure that physical beauty does not draw us away from God, that it does not become an idol.</span></span></strong></p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/do-jewelry-and-makeup-distance-a-woman-from-god/">Do jewelry and makeup distance a woman from God?</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://jesu.pl/do-jewelry-and-makeup-distance-a-woman-from-god/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Who wants God to bless them?</title>
		<link>https://jesu.pl/who-wants-god-to-bless-them/</link>
					<comments>https://jesu.pl/who-wants-god-to-bless-them/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hubert Brzoza]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Jul 2026 16:50:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jesu.pl/?p=3803</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>A blessing is not an empty wish; it is not merely words cast to the wind. In the Bible, a blessing carries greater weight. A father pronounces it over his son, a family over a daughter, elders over a married couple, and priests over the people; meanwhile, Christ’s disciples are called to bless even those [&#8230;]</p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/who-wants-god-to-bless-them/">Who wants God to bless them?</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A blessing is not an empty wish; it is not merely words cast to the wind. In the Bible, a blessing carries greater weight. A father pronounces it over his son, a family over a daughter, elders over a married couple, and priests over the people; meanwhile, Christ’s disciples are called to bless even those who wrong them. In every instance, it involves something more than just kind words. To bless someone is to stand before God and speak goodness over them—whether it be protection, peace, guidance, offspring, strength, grace, or a return to the right path. That is why it is worth looking at how people in the Bible did this. What words did they use? Whom did they bless? Why did they do it? And what do these verses mean for us today?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In this article, I explored a similar topic, but from a different perspective:</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://jesu.pl/what-rewards-does-god-give-to-people-the-old-covenant/"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>What Rewards Does God Give to People? – The Old Covenant</b></u></span></span></a></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What does it mean to “bless” people?</b></span></span></span></h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In Hebrew, the primary word is <b>*barak* (Strong’s H1288)</b>. When applied to a person, it means speaking good over them, asking God to grant them good, or acknowledging that good comes from God.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the Greek of the New Testament, the primary word is <b>*eulogeō* (Strong’s G2127)</b>. Its basic meaning is to speak well of, to bless, or to speak good.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Biblically, to bless a person means to speak good over them in God’s presence, to ask God to grant them good, or to declare good in accordance with God’s promise. A human being is not the source of blessing; God is the source.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>1 — God blesses the first humans:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And God blessed them, and said to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth’” — Genesis 1:28.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The first blessing pronounced upon man implies that he is to live, multiply, fill the earth, and have dominion over creation—not as a tyrant, but as one entrusted by God with responsibility. God provides the necessary conditions for life, and man is to fulfill God’s principles. The arrangement is entirely fair.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>2 — God blesses Noah and his sons after the Flood:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them: 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth'&#8221; — Genesis 9:1.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Life on earth begins anew, and God does not leave Noah and his sons without care. God tells Noah’s family: life must go on. I am with you—just be with Me.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>3 — God blesses Abram so that he may become a blessing:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed&#8221; — Genesis 12:2-3.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">God does not bless Abram merely for Abram’s own comfort. He tells him something greater: &#8222;you will be a blessing.&#8221; This means that the good bestowed upon Abram is intended to extend to other families of the earth.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In this context, to bless means to make a person a bearer of the good that comes from God. True blessing does not stop with a single individual; it is meant to bear further fruit.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>4 — Melchizedek blesses Abram after the victory:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand&#8221; — Genesis 14:19-20.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Melchizedek does not say, &#8222;Abram, you are great in and of yourself.&#8221; He says, &#8222;Blessed be Abram by God Most High.&#8221; He immediately points to the source of the victory. In this context, to bless a person means to declare the truth over him: that his deliverance and victory came from God. The person is blessed, yet the glory returns to God.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>5 — The family blesses Rebekah before she leaves for marriage:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Our sister, may you become thousands of tens of thousands, and may your offspring possess the gate of those who hate them&#8221; — Genesis 24:60.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rebekah leaves her family home to go to Isaac. Her family does not bid her farewell with empty words. They address her as &#8222;our sister&#8221; and then speak a blessing over her future. In this context, to bless means to speak words of goodness over a loved one as they embark on a new stage of life. This blessing encompasses her household, her offspring, and victory over her enemies. It is a beautiful example of a family pronouncing a blessing upon a woman who is beginning a new chapter in her life.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>6 — Isaac blesses Jacob with abundance, preeminence, and protection:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth, and an abundance of grain and new wine. May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be those who curse you, and blessed be those who bless you&#8221; — Genesis 27:28-29.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Isaac speaks words over Jacob concerning the land, the harvest, nations, family standing, and protection. This is not merely a case of wishing someone well; it is a father’s transmission of an inheritance. Esau also receives a paternal word regarding his future, but it is harsher and less bountiful than Jacob’s blessing. In this context, to bless means to speak the future of the lineage over one’s son and to ask God for abundance and protection. The father speaks words over the child that touch upon his entire life.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>7 — Isaac foretells a difficult future for Esau:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth and of the dew of heaven from above. By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but it shall come to pass, when you break free, that you shall shake his yoke from your neck&#8221; — Genesis 27:39-40.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Esau also receives a paternal word regarding his future, but it is harsher and less bountiful than Jacob’s blessing.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>8 — Isaac blesses Jacob before he leaves home:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May God Almighty bless you, make you fruitful, and multiply you, that you may become an assembly of peoples. May He give you the blessing of Abraham—to you and to your offspring with you—that you may inherit the land of your sojourning, which God gave to Abraham&#8221; — Genesis 28:3-4.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jacob is leaving home. Isaac pronounces a blessing over him. He speaks of the blessing of Abraham, of offspring, and of the land. In this context, to bless means to pass on to the child the path of God’s promise. The father is not expressing random wishes; he is directing his son toward what God has already spoken to the family.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>9 — Jacob blesses Joseph&#8217;s sons:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has shepherded me from the beginning of my life until this day, the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless these boys; may my name and the names of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, be invoked over them, and may they multiply greatly upon the earth&#8221; — Genesis 48:15-16.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jacob blesses his grandsons, but he begins with a testimony. He speaks of the God who guided his fathers and himself. Only then does he pronounce a blessing upon the boys. In this context, blessing children means entrusting the next generation to the care of the God who guided the generations before them. It is not merely a matter of family sentiment; it is a passing on of faith and the remembrance of God.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>10 — Jacob pronounces a word of dominion over Judah:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down to you. The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until He comes to whom it belongs, and to Him shall be the obedience of the peoples&#8221; — Genesis 49:8, 10.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jacob does not speak to Judah merely as an individual son; he pronounces a word over his lineage. He speaks of praise from his brothers, victory over enemies, and a scepter of authority.In this context, to bless means to declare a God-ordained direction for the lineage. This blessing looks far beyond a single generation.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>11 — Jacob pronounces fruitfulness and God’s help over Joseph:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring&#8230; by the God of your father who helps you, and by the Almighty who blesses you: with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb&#8221; — Genesis 49:22, 25.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Joseph was wounded by his own brothers and attacked by others. Yet Jacob speaks of him as a fruitful bough by a spring. Hostility did not cause him to wither.Here, to bless means to pronounce fruitfulness, God’s help, and life over a person who has been wronged—even in the face of attacks. This word shows that God can make a person fruitful even after suffering pain.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>12 — Priestly form of blessing over the people:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May YHWH bless you and keep you. May YHWH make His face shine upon you and show you favor. May YHWH lift up His face toward you and grant you peace&#8221; — Numbers 6:24-26.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Note that the priests do not say, &#8222;We give you happiness.&#8221; They say, &#8222;May YHWH…&#8221; In this context, to bless means to ask God to guard a person, show them favor, turn His face toward them, and grant them peace. It is a prayerful pronouncement of good upon a person before God.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>13 — God explains the meaning of the priestly blessing:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;So shall they put My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them&#8221; — Numbers 6:27.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This verse explains what takes place during the blessing. The priests speak words over the people, yet God says: <b>&#8222;I will bless them.&#8221;</b></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In this context, to bless means to place God’s name upon a person and to pronounce a good that originates with God. A human being speaks the good, but God remains its source. This protects us from thinking that blessing is a matter of human power.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>14 — Balaam cannot curse what God has blessed:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it&#8221; — Numbers 23:20.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Balaam wanted to be used to pronounce a curse, but God restrained his lips. Instead of cursing, he was compelled to say: God has already blessed, and this cannot be undone. Here, the blessing signifies God’s decree of good—something man cannot annul with a curse. When God pronounces good, man has no power to turn it into evil.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>15 — Balaam pronounces a blessing over the tents of Israel:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;How good are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel!&#8221; — Numbers 24:5.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Balaam looks at the camp of Israel and, instead of a curse, utters words of admiration. He sees the tents and dwellings of the people whom God is leading. In this context, to bless means to see the good placed there by God and to speak it over people&#8217;s homes. It is not a matter of inventing good; it is recognizing the good that God has already bestowed.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>16 — Blessed is he who blesses the people embraced by the promise:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you&#8221; — Numbers 24:9.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This statement reveals the gravity of the spoken word regarding the people upon whom God has pronounced His blessing. To bless such a people is to align oneself with God’s decree. In this context, to bless means to concur with the good that God has bestowed upon His people. To curse what God blesses is an act of rebellion against His decision.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>17 — Moses pronounces a blessing of multiplication over the people:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times over and bless you, just as He has told you&#8221; — Deuteronomy 1:11.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Moses is not devising a wish of his own. He says, &#8222;just as He has told you.&#8221; His blessing rests upon God’s prior word. Here, to bless means to ask God for growth in accordance with His promise.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>18 — Blessings of obedience:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your livestock&#8230;&#8221; — Deuteronomy 28:3-4.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This blessing encompasses ordinary life: the city, the field, children, the land, livestock, and work. God does not speak only of the temple or momentous occasions; He touches upon everyday life.Here, the blessing signifies God’s goodness upon a person’s entire life when that person heeds His voice. This is important: the text links blessing with obedience.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>19 — Moses blesses Reuben with life and the preservation of the tribe:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Let Reuben live and not die; and let his people not be few&#8221; — Deuteronomy 33:6.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This brief blessing sounds like a plea for survival. There is no flowery language here. It is a cry: let Reuben live, let him not vanish, let his people not be few. In this context, to bless means to ask God to preserve life and lineage. Sometimes the simplest blessing is the deepest: may a person live before God.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>20 — Moses blesses Judah with God&#8217;s help:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Hear, </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">, the voice of Judah and bring him to his people; let his hands fight for him, and be a help to him against his enemies&#8221; — Deuteronomy 33:7.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Moses does not ask for an easy life for Judah. ​​He asks that God hear his voice, bring him to his people, and help him against his enemies. Here, to bless means to invoke God’s help for a person in the midst of battle and return. A blessing does not always eliminate the battle—the struggle for the future. Sometimes, it provides God’s help during the battle itself.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>21 — Moses blesses Levi in his service:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Bless, YHWH, His strength and accept the work of His hands; strike the loins of those who rise against Him and of those who hate Him, so that they may rise no more&#8221; — Deuteronomy 33:11.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Levi is to serve before God. Moses does not ask merely for comfort for Levi, but for strength and the acceptance of the work of his hands. Here, to bless means to ask God to strengthen a person for the service entrusted to them. It is a blessing upon work performed before God.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>22 — Moses blesses Benjamin with safety:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May the beloved of </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> dwell securely beside Him; He shields him all day long, and he dwells between His shoulders&#8221; — Deuteronomy 33:12.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Benjamin is called the beloved of </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">. He is to dwell securely, shielded by God. Here, to bless means to pronounce God’s nearness and protection over a person. The image of dwelling &#8222;between His shoulders&#8221; speaks of a security that a person cannot provide for themselves.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>23 — Moses blesses Joseph with the abundance of the land:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Blessed by YHWH be his land: with the precious gifts of heaven, with dew, and with the deep lying below&#8221; — Deuteronomy 33:13.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Moses pronounces a blessing not only upon Joseph himself but also upon his land. He speaks of the heavens, the dew, and the deep. In this context, to bless means to ask God for good things regarding the place from which a person derives their livelihood. The blessing extends to the home, the land, one&#8217;s work, and the harvest.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>24 — Moses blesses Zebulun and Issachar with joy in their tasks:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, and Issachar, in your tents&#8221; — Deuteronomy 33:18.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Zebulun and Issachar have different spheres of activity: one in going out, the other in the tents. Blessing does not mean that everyone follows the same path, but rather that God can grant joy in one’s appointed place.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>25 — Moses blesses Naphtali with favor and the fullness of blessing:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Naphtali, satisfied with favor and full of the blessing of </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">, take possession of the west and the south&#8221; — Deuteronomy 33:23.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Naphtali is described as satisfied with favor and full of the blessing of YHWH. This is not the image of an empty man; he is a man filled with the goodness of God. God provides not only survival but also fulfillment.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>26 — Moses blesses Asher with acceptance, abundance, and strength:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Blessed be Asher among the sons; may he be accepted by his brothers and dip his foot in oil. May iron and bronze be your bolts, and may your strength endure as long as your days&#8221; — Deuteronomy 33:24-25.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This blessing speaks to the realities of everyday life. It mentions acceptance by one’s brothers, oil, security, and strength for each day. In this context, to bless means asking God for the favor of others, for abundance, protection, and the strength needed for life. Blessings are not limited to great things; sometimes, a blessing is simply the strength to face the day.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>27 — Boaz and the reapers bless one another in their daily work:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH be with you.” And they answered him: “May YHWH bless you” — Ruth 2:4.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Boaz arrives at the field and greets the workers with the words: “YHWH be with you.” They reply: “May YHWH bless you.” A blessing can be spoken at home, at work, and in everyday life.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>28 — The people and the elders bless the marriage of Boaz and Ruth:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May YHWH make the woman who is entering your home like Rachel and Leah, who both built the house of Israel; may you act valiantly in Ephrathah and win renown in Bethlehem. May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring that YHWH will give you by this young woman&#8221; — Ruth 4:11-12.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This blessing is pronounced upon the couple. The people and the elders do not simply say, &#8222;may things go well for you.&#8221; Here, to bless means to speak good over the new family. This good encompasses the woman, the man, the household, the offspring, and the future.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>29 — Eli blesses the marriage of Elkanah and Hannah:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">May </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> give you offspring by this woman in place of the one she gave to </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">” — 1 Samuel 2:20.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hannah gave Samuel for service to God. Eli pronounces a blessing of offspring upon her and her husband. He does not take back her offering but asks God for further good for their household.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>30 — David asks for a blessing for his household:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And now, may it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You; for You, O Lord YHWH, have spoken, and with Your blessing the house of Your servant shall be blessed forever&#8221; — 2 Samuel 7:29.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">David does not bless his house by his own power. He stands before God and asks: &#8222;may it please You to bless the house of Your servant.&#8221; He relies on what God has said.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>31 — Solomon blesses the assembly with the presence of God:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">, our God, be with us as He was with our fathers; may He not leave us or forsake us. May He incline our hearts toward Himself, that we may walk in all His ways and keep His commandments, statutes, and judgments&#8221; — 1 Kings 8:57-58.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Solomon does not ask merely for prosperity. He asks that God be with the people and not forsake them. To bless means asking God for His presence and for hearts capable of obedience. The greatest good is not success in itself, but that the human heart follows God.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>32 — Jabez asks God for a blessing for himself:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Oh, that You would truly bless me, enlarge my territory, that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, so that it might not cause me pain. And God granted what he asked for&#8221; — 1 Chronicles 4:10.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jabez prays simply and specifically. He asks for a blessing, the enlargement of his territory, the presence of God’s hand, and protection from evil. This is not an empty formula, but a sincere cry.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>33 — Communal prayer for grace and blessing:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;God, show us grace and bless us; let Your face shine upon us&#8221; — Psalm 67:1.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a communal prayer. It does not say &#8222;give *me*,&#8221; but rather &#8222;show *us* grace and bless *us*.&#8221; The people ask for God’s face—that is, for His favor and presence.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>34 — Blessing upon the family and children:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May YHWH multiply you and your children. You are blessed by YHWH, the Maker of heaven and earth&#8221; — Psalm 115:14-15.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This brief blessing encompasses both parents and children. It speaks of multiplication and of the fact that YHWH—the Maker of heaven and earth—is the source of goodness.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>35 — Blessing upon the person who fears God:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May YHWH bless you from Zion, that you may see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life and see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel&#8221; — Psalm 128:5-6.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This blessing speaks of one’s entire life: the well-being of the city, long days, grandchildren, and peace upon the people.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>36 — Formula of blessing in the name of YHWH:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;The blessing of YHWH be upon you; we bless you in the name of YHWH&#8221; — Psalm 129:8.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the Psalm, this formula appears in the context of the wicked, over whom such a word is not pronounced. Yet the form itself reveals the nature of the blessing: &#8222;in the name of YHWH.&#8221; Here, to bless means to pronounce a blessing not on one’s own authority, but in the name of God. One does not say, &#8222;my power be upon you&#8221;; one says, &#8222;the blessing of YHWH be upon you.&#8221;</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>37 — A brief blessing from the Creator:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May YHWH bless you from Zion, He who made heaven and earth&#8221; — Psalm 134:3.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a brief form of blessing. A single sentence encompasses man, YHWH, Zion, and the Creator of heaven and earth.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>38 — Elizabeth blesses Miriam/Mariam and the fruit of her womb:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb&#8221; — Luke 1:42.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Elizabeth recognizes that God has done something great for </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mariam/Miriam</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> and the Child in her womb. She speaks the truth about God’s work. She blesses the Child, who is to be born as Christ, the Son of God.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>39 — Lord Yeshu teaches to bless those who curse:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Bless those who curse you; pray for those who insult you&#8221; — Luke 6:28.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Lord Yeshu does not say that evil is good. He says that a disciple of God must not answer a curse with a curse. We are not to speak evil over an enemy, but rather pray that God leads him to the truth and turns him away from sin.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>40 — We are reviled, but we bless them:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;We toil, working with our own hands; when reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure&#8221; — 1 Corinthians 4:12.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paul illustrates the life of the apostles. When they are reviled, they do not retaliate in kind. They offer a blessing.In this context, to bless means to respond with a kind word where one would naturally want to retort with an insult.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>41 — Paul: bless those who persecute you:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse&#8221; — Romans 12:14.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paul speaks clearly: &#8222;bless and do not curse.&#8221; A disciple of Christ cannot allow the evil of others to turn their lips into an instrument of cursing.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>42 — Peter: do not return insult for insult, but with a blessing:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Do not repay evil for evil or insult for insult, but on the contrary—with a blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you might inherit a blessing&#8221; — 1 Peter 3:9.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Peter illustrates a simple principle: a person called to a blessing does not repay an insult with an insult. We must show that we belong to God; therefore, we control our thoughts and words.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>43 — The apostolic blessing of grace, love, and the communion of the Spirit:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May the grace of the Lord Yeshu the Anointed, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all&#8221; — 2 Corinthians 13:13/14.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paul pronounces over them the grace of the Lord Yeshu, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Here, blessing the brothers means asking for spiritual gifts without which the assembly bears no fruit.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>44 — Apostolic blessing of peace, love, and faith:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Peace to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Yeshu the Anointed. Grace be with all who love our Lord Yeshu the Anointed with an undying love&#8221; — Ephesians 6:23-24.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paul addresses the brothers, wishing them peace, love, faith, and grace. He also points to the source of grace: God the Father and the Lord Yeshu the Anointed.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>45 — The apostolic blessing of the sanctification of the whole person:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Yeshu the Anointed One&#8221; — 1 Thessalonians 5:23.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This blessing does not stop at health, money, or comfort. Paul asks for the sanctification of the whole person: spirit, soul, and body.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>46 — Apostolic blessing of consolation and strengthening:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">May our Lord Yeshu the Anointed himself and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word” — 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paul knows that people need not only instruction but also comfort and strengthening. That is why he asks that the Lord Yeshu and God the Father comfort the hearts of the believers.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>47 — The apostolic blessing of peace at all times:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you” — 2 Thessalonians 3:16.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This blessing is very powerful. Paul does not simply say, “Have peace.” He says, “May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace.”</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>48 — The apostolic blessing of being equipped to do God’s will:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May the God of peace, who brought our Lord Yeshu—the great Shepherd of the sheep—back from the dead through the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good for doing His will, working in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Yeshu the Messiah&#8221; — Hebrews 13:20-21.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This blessing does not end with the words &#8222;may things go well for you.&#8221; The author asks God to equip believers to do His will.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>49 — The apostolic blessing of grace, mercy, and peace:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from the Lord Yeshu the Anointed, the Son of the Father, in truth and love” — 2 John 1:3.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>50 — The final blessing of Scripture:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;May the grace of the Lord Yeshu be with all the saints. Amen&#8221; — Revelation 22:21.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is worth reflecting on this subject so that we may constantly sense God’s presence in our lives. To achieve this, we must do God’s will. We need to carefully examine our beliefs; they cannot stem from religious traditions that have little in common with the teachings of Christ.</span></span></span></p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/who-wants-god-to-bless-them/">Who wants God to bless them?</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://jesu.pl/who-wants-god-to-bless-them/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Prophetesses—did they serve God or demons?</title>
		<link>https://jesu.pl/prophetesses-did-they-serve-god-or-demons/</link>
					<comments>https://jesu.pl/prophetesses-did-they-serve-god-or-demons/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hubert Brzoza]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 05 Jul 2026 16:24:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jesu.pl/?p=3766</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Could a woman speak on behalf of God? For many people, the question itself is uncomfortable. Some will immediately say, &#8222;A woman must remain silent.&#8221; Others will say, &#8222;A woman can do everything just as a man does.&#8221; But the Bible follows neither the path of religious prohibition nor the path of modern-day rebellion. The [&#8230;]</p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/prophetesses-did-they-serve-god-or-demons/">Prophetesses—did they serve God or demons?</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Could a woman speak on behalf of God?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For many people, the question itself is uncomfortable. Some will immediately say, &#8222;A woman must remain silent.&#8221; Others will say, &#8222;A woman can do everything just as a man does.&#8221;</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But the Bible follows neither the path of religious prohibition nor the path of modern-day rebellion.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible reveals something simpler and more powerful: there were women whom God designated as prophetesses. There were also women who prophesied falsely and led people astray.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Therefore, it is not enough to say, &#8222;She is a woman, so she cannot speak.&#8221; Nor is it enough to say, &#8222;She is a prophetess, so she must be believed.&#8221;</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scripture shows that one must examine the source, the spirit, the fruits, and the alignment with God’s Word.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the problem is not the woman herself. The problem lies in lies, pride, chaos, deception, and the voicing of one’s own private opinions instead of God’s teachings.</span></span></span></p>
<h1 class="western"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>9 – Examples of good and bad prophetesses</b></span></span></span></h1>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>9.1 Examples of good prophetesses</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible shows that women were prophetesses. This is neither a conjecture nor a religious tradition, but the straightforward testimony of Scripture. Some women are explicitly called prophetesses, while others are described as having prophesied.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Miriam — prophetess, sister of Aaron and Moses;</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Then Miriam (Greek: Mariam), the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and in dances&#8221; — Exodus 15:20.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Miriam is explicitly called a prophetess. She was a woman through whom God worked among Israel. However, it must be remembered that Miriam was later rebuked when she and Aaron rose up against Moses:</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Why, then, were you not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?” — Numbers 12:8.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This illustrates an important principle: a true gift does not make a person infallible. The prophetess must still exercise self-control over her actions.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Deborah—prophetess and judge of Israel:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time&#8221; — Judges 4:4.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Deborah was a prophetess and a judge. The Israelites came to her for a verdict. This example clearly shows that God can use a woman to convey a word, wisdom, and judgment.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Huldah — a prophetess in Jerusalem:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe—she lived in Jerusalem, in the Second Quarter—and they spoke with her&#8221; — 2 Kings 22:14.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;So Hilkiah and those whom the king had appointed went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe—she lived in Jerusalem, in the Second Quarter—and they spoke with her about this&#8221; — 2 Chronicles 34:22.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Huldah was a prophetess whom the priest and the king’s men visited. She was not treated as just anyone; they came to her to hear a word from God.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The prophetess, wife of Isaiah:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Then I approached the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. And the Lord said to me: Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz&#8221; — Isaiah 8:3.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The text does not give her name but calls her a prophetess. We do not have an extensive description of her ministry here, but the title itself is significant.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Anna — a prophetess from the tribe of Asher:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There was also Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very advanced in years; she had lived with her husband for seven years from the time of her virginity” — Luke 2:36.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to God and spoke about Him to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem” — Luke 2:38.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Anna was a prophetess who remained devoted to God through prayer and fasting. When she saw the child Yeshu, she spoke about Him to those awaiting redemption.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Philip’s four daughters—virgins who prophesied:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And he had four virgin daughters who prophesied” — Acts 21:9.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The text does not use the noun “prophetesses” to describe them, but it states explicitly that they prophesied. This is significant because it demonstrates the practical exercise of the gift of prophecy by women.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Daughters and handmaidens shall prophesy:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions&#8221; — Joel 2:28.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Even on the menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days&#8221; — Joel 2:29.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This text is very important because it speaks not only of sons but also of daughters. God foretells the outpouring of the Spirit upon women as well.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Peter cited this passage on the Day of Pentecost:</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And it shall come to pass in the last days—says God—that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams” — Acts 2:17.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out of My Spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy” — Acts 2:18.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The outpouring of the Spirit also extends to daughters and female servants.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A woman praying and prophesying:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head; for it is one and the same as if she were shaved&#8221; — 1 Corinthians 11:5.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This verse is very important. Paul does not say here: &#8222;a woman can never prophesy.&#8221; On the contrary, he describes a situation in which a woman prays and prophesies.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For more information, please see the article:</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://jesu.pl/women-were-prophetesses-and-deaconesses/"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Women Were Prophetesses and Deaconesses &#8211; Jesu.pl </b></u></span></span></a></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>9.2 — Examples of false prophetesses</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible also shows the other side: a woman may speak as a prophetess, but she may also prophesy falsely. Therefore, the title alone is not enough; one must examine whether the word comes from God.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Women prophesying out of their own hearts:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And you</span></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">, </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">S</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">on of </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">M</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">an</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">,</span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own hearts, and prophesy against them. And say: Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the women who sew bands on all wrists and make veils for the heads of people of every stature, to hunt down souls. Will you hunt down the souls of My people and keep your own souls alive? You profane Me among My people for a handful of barley and for a piece of bread, killing souls that should not die and keeping alive souls that should not live, as you lie to My people who listen to lies. </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against your bands with which you hunt souls like birds; I will tear them from your arms and let go the souls that you hunt like birds. I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people from your hand, and they shall no longer be prey in your hand; and you shall know that I am the Lord. </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Because with lies you have saddened the heart of the righteous, whom I have not saddened, and strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his evil way and live. Therefore, you shall no longer see vanity nor practice divination; I will deliver My people from your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord&#8221; — Ezekiel 13:17-23.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This text strongly demonstrates that God is opposed to acting on one’s own initiative. The problem is not that the women spoke; the problem is that they spoke lies, misled the people, emboldened the wicked, and hurt the righteous.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Noadiah — a prophetess who intimidated Nehemiah:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat according to these deeds of theirs, as well as the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who sought to frighten me” — Nehemiah 6:14.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Noadiah is called a prophetess, yet she stands on the side of evil. This demonstrates that it is not the title &#8222;prophetess&#8221; itself that is decisive, but rather the alignment of one&#8217;s words, spirit, and fruits with God.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Jezebel in the Revelation of John—a woman who calls herself a prophetess:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;But I have this against you: that you allow the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and mislead My servants into committing sexual immorality and eating food sacrificed to idols.</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will cast her onto a bed of suffering, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.&#8221; And I will strike her children dead; and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts, and I will give to each of you according to your deeds&#8221; — Revelation 2:20-23.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a very important text because it links two themes: the woman &#8222;calls herself a prophetess&#8221; and she &#8222;teaches and leads astray.&#8221; The Lord Yeshu rebukes her not because she speaks at all, but because she leads God’s servants into sexual immorality and idolatry.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This confirms the principle: prophecy must be tested, and false teaching must be rejected.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>9.3 — How to examine prophecy?</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible does not say to blindly accept every prophecy. Prophecy must be examined.</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Do not treat prophecies with contempt; test everything; hold fast to what is good” — 1 Thessalonians 5:20–21.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said” — 1 Corinthians 14:29.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This applies to everyone: men and women alike. True prophecy is not a matter of private human opinion; it originates from God and must align with truth, order, and holiness.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible clearly shows that there were godly prophetesses—such as Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, the prophetess who was Isaiah’s wife, Anna, and the daughters of Philip—who prophesied. Scripture also reveals that God foretold the prophesying of sons and daughters, as well as the outpouring of the Spirit upon both male and female servants.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible also presents negative examples: women prophesying out of their own hearts and relying on their own convictions or opinions—such as Noadiah, who sought to intimidate Nehemiah, and Jezebel, who claimed to be a prophetess yet led God’s servants astray.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible does not reject prophecy simply because it is spoken by a woman. Rather, it rejects false prophecy, deception, chaos, sexual immorality, idolatry, and the proclamation of one’s own philosophy instead of God’s truth.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paul does not forbid women from speaking altogether; he forbids chaos, insubordination, and the usurpation of teaching authority over men. Prophecy from God, however, is neither a woman’s private opinion nor mere teaching based on personal views; it is a word from the Holy Spirit that must be tested.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Therefore, the Biblical principle is simple: true prophecy is to be tested and accepted if it comes from God, while false prophecy must be rejected—regardless of whether it is spoken by a man or a woman.</span></span></span></p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/prophetesses-did-they-serve-god-or-demons/">Prophetesses—did they serve God or demons?</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://jesu.pl/prophetesses-did-they-serve-god-or-demons/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Emotional abuse and alcohol—what does God advise in the Scriptures?</title>
		<link>https://jesu.pl/emotional-abuse-and-alcohol-what-does-god-advise-in-the-scriptures/</link>
					<comments>https://jesu.pl/emotional-abuse-and-alcohol-what-does-god-advise-in-the-scriptures/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hubert Brzoza]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2026 21:42:03 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jesu.pl/?p=3745</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Bible does not justify a husband who oppresses, humiliates, or intimidates his wife, gets drunk, flies into rages, or destroys the home. A godly husband is called to love, protect, and respect his wife. If, instead, he resorts to alcohol, shouting, pressure, contempt, or emotional abuse, he violates God’s principles. We are considering the [&#8230;]</p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/emotional-abuse-and-alcohol-what-does-god-advise-in-the-scriptures/">Emotional abuse and alcohol—what does God advise in the Scriptures?</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible does not justify a husband who oppresses, humiliates, or intimidates his wife, gets drunk, flies into rages, or destroys the home. A godly husband is called to love, protect, and respect his wife. If, instead, he resorts to alcohol, shouting, pressure, contempt, or emotional abuse, he violates God’s principles.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">We are considering the example of a husband who harms his wife because such a situation destroys the entire household. However, the same principle applies to the wife, children, parents, and every member of the household. No one has the right from God to harass, intimidate, or humiliate another person, to get drunk, or to shatter the peace of the home through their anger.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scripture also shows that in dire situations, the person being harmed need not remain passive and unprotected in the face of anger and violence. God has called us to peace, not to the bondage of fear.</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Marriage does not give a man the right to neglect or harm:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;If he takes another wife for himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights. And if he does not do these three things for her, then she shall go free, without payment of money&#8221; — Exodus 21:10–11.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Under the Law of Moses, God permitted situations where a man could have more than one wife. Yet, even then, he could not treat a woman as a mere object.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">If he took another wife, he was not permitted to neglect the first; he was required to provide her with food, clothing, and her due marital rights. If he failed to do so, the woman was free to leave.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Abraham had Sarah and Hagar; Jacob had Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah; Elkanah had Hannah and Peninnah; David had many wives—including Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah—while Solomon had a vast number of wives and concubines (Genesis 16:1–4; 29:21–30; 30:1–13; 1 Samuel 1:1–7; 2 Samuel 3:2–5; 1 Kings 11:1–4).</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">These examples show that, under the old order, God tolerated and regulated such situations, yet the consequences were often bitter: jealousy, rivalry, the suffering of women, and spiritual decline.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Lord Yeshu returned to the beginning: &#8222;the two shall become one flesh&#8221;—one man and one woman (Matthew 19:4–6).</span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. David fled from Saul when he was in danger:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Saul tried to pin David to the wall with his spear, but David dodged, and the spear struck the wall. David fled and escaped that night&#8221; — 1 Samuel 19:10.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This passage is not about marriage, yet it is an important Biblical story. David did not stay with Saul to &#8222;prove his faith.&#8221; When Saul became dangerous, David fled.<br />
A person may distance themselves from an aggressor. There is no obligation to allow oneself to be destroyed by someone who acts violently.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. God hates violence:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> examines the righteous and the wicked, and His soul hates the one who loves violence&#8221; — Psalm 11:5.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Violence is not just physical blows. It can also be verbal, psychological, domestic, and emotional: intimidation, humiliation, harassment, constant accusations, threats, and outbursts of anger.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">God does not take this lightly. A person who loves violence is in sharp conflict with God.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. God is close to the brokenhearted:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“</span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” — Psalm 34:18.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A person subjected to psychological abuse may feel lonely, weakened, ashamed, or guilty. This verse shows that God does not side with the stronger party simply because they are louder or possess a narcissistic personality.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">God is close to the person who is broken and deeply wounded within.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Whoever brings trouble on his own household will inherit the wind” — Proverbs 11:29.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">An abuser may think they are in control. But the Bible says otherwise: whoever destroys their own household will be left with emptiness.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">To &#8222;inherit the wind&#8221; means to be left with nothing. The psychological destruction of one’s wife, children, and family ultimately turns against the perpetrator.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. One must know how to walk away from a foolish person:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Stay away from the presence of a foolish man, for you will not find lips of knowledge there&#8221; — Proverbs 14:7.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">That is very practical advice. It is often impossible to have a sensible conversation with someone who is drunk, aggressive, mocking, or harassing.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible does not call for endless debate with foolishness. Sometimes, wisdom lies in ending the conversation, walking away, avoiding a confrontation, and protecting oneself.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. A gentle answer can defuse anger, but it does not replace boundaries:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A mild answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” — Proverbs 15:1.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This verse does not mean we should meekly endure violence. It means it is not worth adding fuel to the fire.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When dealing with an angry person, a gentle answer or silence can halt escalation. But if the person continues to harass you, you must protect yourself.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>8. Man is to rule over his own spirit:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Better to be slow to anger than a mighty warrior, and to rule one’s spirit than to conquer a city” — Proverbs 16:32.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A man&#8217;s true strength does not lie in everyone at home fearing him. True strength is self-control.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A husband who cannot control his tongue, alcohol, and anger is not strong—he is enslaved by his own desires and outbursts.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>9. When an argument starts, you need to step back:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The beginning of a dispute is like letting out waters; before the quarrel breaks out, withdraw” — Proverbs 17:14.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When a person who is drunk or angry starts provoking, a dispute can quickly spiral out of control. God’s advice is to walk away before the argument erupts.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">That is not cowardice; it is wisdom. Not every conversation needs to be seen through to the end while the other person is angry or under the influence of alcohol.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. Alcohol opens the door to folly and disgrace:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler; whoever goes astray because of it is not wise&#8221; — Proverbs 20:1.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">God shows that alcohol can turn a person into a mocker, a loudmouth, and a fool. If a person becomes aggressive, abusive, demeaning, or unpredictable after drinking, this is not merely a &#8222;character flaw&#8221; to be excused. It is the path of folly against which God warns.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>11. The prudent person protects himself from danger:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The shrewd one sees the danger and conceals himself, but the naive keep right on going and suffer the penalty.” — Proverbs 22:3.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When a person under the influence of alcohol becomes aggressive, harassing, threatening, or unpredictable, we do not have to pretend that nothing is happening.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Prudence lies in recognizing danger early and seeking safety before serious harm occurs. This is not a lack of faith; it is wisdom.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>12. Do not associate with a violent person:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Make no friendship with an angry man, and do not go with a hot-tempered man, lest you learn his ways and ensnare your soul&#8221; — Proverbs 22:24–25.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">God warns against close association with an angry person. This applies within the home as well. If a husband, wife, or older child is constantly hot-tempered, explosive, and abusive—and refuses to change their ways—we should not pretend that this is normal. An angry person drags others into their chaos and destroys the souls of those in the household.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>13. The oppressed must be rescued:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Learn to do good, seek justice, correct the oppressor, judge the cause of the orphan, defend the widow&#8221; — Isaiah 1:17.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">God commands us to seek justice and restrain the oppressor.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If someone is being oppressed, one must act wisely—providing protection, witnesses, and assistance, and setting matters right—rather than passively watching the violence.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>14. Lord Yeshu allowed </b></span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>fleeing</b></span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> from persecution:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When they persecute you in this city, flee to another” — Matthew 10:23.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is not a verse about marriage, but it illustrates an important principle: fleeing from harm is not a lack of faith.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Lord Yeshu did not tell His disciples to stay where they were being destroyed; He said that when they were persecuted, they should flee. Therefore, if a person is being harassed, intimidated, or psychologically destroyed, leaving for a safe place is not a sin.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>15. If a brother lives like a drunkard and a slanderer, one must not feign fellowship:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or a swindler—do not even eat with such a person&#8221; — 1 Corinthians 5:11.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a very powerful passage. If someone calls themselves a believer and knows the biblical truth but lives as a drunkard, a slanderer, or an abuser—and refuses to repent—one must not pretend that everything is fine.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pious words cannot mask the destruction of a home. God requires the community to take action, not to sweep the matter under the rug.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>16. Scripture acknowledges the situation of the separation of spouses:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;To the wife I give this command—not I, but the Lord—that she should not separate from her husband. But if she does separate, let her remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband; and let the husband not leave his wife&#8221; — 1 Corinthians 7:10–11.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the most important text regarding separation. Paul sets forth the principle: a marriage should not be lightly dissolved. Yet, he immediately adds: &#8222;but if she does separate&#8230;&#8221; This implies that Scripture acknowledges situations where separation does occur.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Greek word is *chōrizō* (G5563), meaning to separate, part, or sever.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paul does not say here: &#8222;if she separates, she is condemned.&#8221; Instead, he prescribes a course of action following such a separation: do not enter into a new relationship, but remain apart or seek reconciliation—provided that reconciliation is genuine and safe.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The bottom line: separation is not the ideal for marriage, but it is permissible in difficult situations.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>17. God has called us to peace, not to bondage:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not bound in such cases. God has called us to peace&#8221; — 1 Corinthians 7:15.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This verse addresses the situation where the other party shatters the shared life. Paul says: &#8222;let them separate.&#8221; He does not command the believer to hold onto someone who destroys peace at any cost.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Key words:</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">χωρίζεται — chōrizetai — G5563: separates,</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">οὐ δεδούλωται — ou dedoulōtai — G1402: is not enslaved, is not in bondage,</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">εἰρήνη — eirēnē — G1515: peace.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a crucial principle: God has not called us to the bondage of fear, violence, and psychological destruction. God has called us to peace.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>18. The matter must be corroborated by witnesses:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Every matter shall be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses” — 2 Corinthians 13:1.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In cases of psychological harassment, it is important that the person involved is not left alone in a situation of &#8222;one person&#8217;s word against another.&#8221;</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is helpful to have witnesses, records of events, messages, and—where local law permits—recordings, as well as to discuss the matter with a trusted person. The biblical principle is simple: serious matters must be established on the basis of testimony rather than kept hidden in isolation.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>19. There is no need to hide the deeds of darkness:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And do not share in the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them&#8221; — Ephesians 5:11.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Psychological abuse within the home often remains hidden. A person may appear fine to the outside world while destroying their spouse or children with their words at home. God does not command us to cover up evil simply so the perpetrator can have peace. If the abuse persists, it must be called by its true name, and one should seek help from people who are wise, trustworthy, and safe.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>20. Drunkenness is no minor vice:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And do not get drunk with wine, in which there is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit&#8221; — Ephesians 5:18.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Drunkenness loosens the boundaries of conscience. A person loses self-control, says cruel things, commits shameful acts, and justifies their outbursts.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">One ought to come to one’s senses, not destroy one’s home.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>21. A husband&#8217;s love is meant to protect, not to wound:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself” — Ephesians 5:28.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A husband who destroys his wife emotionally acts against his own home. In God’s eyes, a wife is not an object on which to vent one’s anger; she is a part of her husband’s life.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If he humiliates, harms, intimidates, or breaks her with his words, he destroys his own body, his own home, and his own accountability before God.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>22. A husband should love his wife, not destroy her:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them&#8221; — Colossians 3:19.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A husband has no right to make his wife’s life miserable with bitterness, grievances, contempt, shouting, or psychological oppression.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">God does not say, “the wife must endure everything”; instead, He tells the husband: do not be bitter toward her. Harassing one’s wife violates this principle.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>23. Human anger does not accomplish the justice of God:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Man’s anger does not bring about God’s righteousness&#8221; — James 1:20.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A person might say, &#8222;You made me angry,&#8221; &#8222;I had to say that,&#8221; or &#8222;You provoked me.&#8221; The Bible dismisses such justifications. Human anger does not result in God’s righteousness. Shouting, humiliating, and harassing do not mend a home; they destroy it.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>24. A husband is to live with his wife in respect:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Husbands, in the same way, live with them according to knowledge, showing respect to the woman as to a weaker vessel” — 1 Peter 3:7.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">God requires a husband to show understanding, gentleness, and respect. The term &#8222;weaker vessel&#8221; does not imply lesser worth; rather, it entails a greater responsibility for the husband to avoid using force, pressure, or his position of advantage against his wife.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A husband who uses fear, money, shouting, alcohol, or his authority within the home violates this principle.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Conclusion</b></span></span></span></h2>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000;">The Bible clearly shows that no one in the home has the right to destroy the family—neither husband, wife, children, parents, nor any other household member. The home must not be a place of harassment, humiliation, intimidation, manipulation, drunkenness, shouting, or psychological destruction.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000;">A husband is called to love, protect, and respect his wife. A wife has no right to destroy her husband through contempt, manipulation, accusations, or rebellion. Children and other household members likewise have no right to bring violence, chaos, contempt, or constant conflict into the home. Everyone is accountable before God for their own words, spirit, anger, and conduct.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000;">Alcohol does not justify violence. Drunkenness is a path of folly, loss of self-control, and the destruction of the home. A person who is drunk, angry, or lacking self-control cannot hide behind &#8222;weakness&#8221; if they are hurting others.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000;">A person who is being harmed need not pretend that evil is good. They may call the harm by its true name and seek witnesses, help, protection, and safety. God does not command a person to stand passively under violence and pretend the home is healthy when it is being destroyed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000;">Separation in very difficult situations is recognized in Scripture. While not the ideal, it may be a necessary step to halt evil and to protect life, mental well-being, children, and peace within the home.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000;">God grants no one the right to destroy the family—neither husband, wife, children, nor any member of the household. God has called us to peace, responsibility, and truth, not to the bondage of fear.</span></p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/emotional-abuse-and-alcohol-what-does-god-advise-in-the-scriptures/">Emotional abuse and alcohol—what does God advise in the Scriptures?</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://jesu.pl/emotional-abuse-and-alcohol-what-does-god-advise-in-the-scriptures/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Passover – Unleavened Bread – Omer – Pentecost. The Spring Feasts of Israel – Part 7</title>
		<link>https://jesu.pl/passover-unleavened-bread-omer-pentecost-the-spring-feasts-of-israel-part-7/</link>
					<comments>https://jesu.pl/passover-unleavened-bread-omer-pentecost-the-spring-feasts-of-israel-part-7/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hubert Brzoza]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 21 Jun 2026 17:40:41 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jesu.pl/?p=3708</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>15 – How long did the Israelite festivals—Passover, Unleavened Bread, the Omer, and Pentecost—last? 15.1 Passover – 14th of Abib – lasted one day: &#8222;And on the fourteenth day of this month at twilight is the Passover to YHWH&#8221; – Leviticus 23:5. The Passover lasted from the evening of the 13th/14th of Aviv to the [&#8230;]</p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/passover-unleavened-bread-omer-pentecost-the-spring-feasts-of-israel-part-7/">Passover – Unleavened Bread – Omer – Pentecost. The Spring Feasts of Israel – Part 7</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 class="western"><strong><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>15 – How long did the Israelite festivals—Passover, Unleavened Bread, the Omer, and Pentecost—last?</b></span></span></span></strong></h2>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>15.1 Passover – 14th of Abib – lasted one day:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And on the fourteenth day of this month at twilight is the Passover to YHWH&#8221; – Leviticus 23:5.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Passover lasted from the evening of the 13th/14th of Aviv to the evening of the 14th/15th.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>15.2 Feast of Unleavened Bread – lasted from the 15th to the 21st of Aviv – 7 days:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And on the fifteenth day of this month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to YHWH; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread&#8221; – Leviticus 23:6.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread&#8221; – Exodus 12:15.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted seven days, from the evening of the 14th/15th to the evening of the 21st/22nd of Aviv.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>15.3 Omer — the day of the sheaf of firstfruits; according to the first method of counting: the 16th of Aviv; according to the second: after the weekly Sabbath:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest&#8221; – Leviticus 23:10.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And the priest shall wave it before </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Y</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">HWH, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">s</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">abbath, the priest shall wave it&#8221; – Leviticus 23:11.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;You shall not eat bread, nor roasted grain, nor fresh ears of grain until this very day, until you bring the offering of your God&#8221; – Leviticus 23:14.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">s</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">abbath, from the day on which you brought the wave sheaf; seven full </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">s</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">abbaths&#8221; – Leviticus 23:15.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Passover falls on the 14th of Aviv, and the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread falls on the 15th of Aviv.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Two ways of understanding the word &#8222;sabbath&#8221; in Leviticus 23:11 arise here:</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The first method of counting</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If &#8222;sabbath&#8221; is understood as the festive rest of the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread—that is, the 15th of Aviv—then &#8222;the day after the sabbath&#8221; falls on the 16th of Aviv.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In this case, the Omer (the sheaf of the firstfruits of the harvest) was offered on the 16th of Aviv. From that day, it was permitted to eat the new grain, and the counting of the seven weeks leading up to Pentecost began. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The second method of counting</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If &#8222;sabbath&#8221; is understood as the weekly sabbath—that is, the seventh day of the week—then the Omer offering was presented on the day following that sabbath, meaning the first day of the week.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In this case, the date of the Omer was not fixed; it could fall on different days of the month of Aviv, depending on when the weekly sabbath occurred during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">What both methods of counting have in common is that the Omer marked the day of the harvest&#8217;s firstfruits. From that day on, it was permitted to consume the new grain, and the counting of the seven weeks leading up to Pentecost began.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>15.4. Counting of the Omer – 7 weeks = 49 days</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And you shall count from the day following the sabbath, from the day you brought the wave sheaf, seven full weeks&#8221; – Leviticus 23:15.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;You shall count fifty days up to the day following the seventh sabbath&#8221; – Leviticus 23:16.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the Greek text of the Septuagint, the meaning is: &#8222;until the day after the seventh sabbath, you shall count fifty days.&#8221;</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">How does one count using the first method?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If the Omer is Day 1, then:</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">16 Aviv Omer – day 1,</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">17 Aviv – day 2.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">18 Aviv – day 3,</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">…</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">day 49 = seventh Sabbath (7 × 7),</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">day 50 = the day after the seventh Sabbath = Pentecost.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>15.5 Pentecost – 50th day – lasted 1 day:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Then you shall present a new grain offering to </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8221; – Leviticus 23:16.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;You shall observe the Festival of Weeks, the firstfruits of the wheat harvest&#8221; – Exodus 34:22.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pentecost was a one-day festival falling on the fiftieth day of the count, with the day of the Omer being the first day.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>15.6 The entire sequence at a glance:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Passover – 14 Aviv – 1 day. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unleavened Bread – 15–21 Aviv – 7 days. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Omer – 16 Aviv – start of the counting (first method). </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">7 weeks of harvest – 49 days. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pentecost – 50th day – 1 day.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The counting from the Omer to Pentecost spanned fifty days. The entire spring sequence began with Passover on the 14th of Aviv; thus, the period from Passover to Pentecost lasted slightly more than fifty days.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #993300;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>16 – What exactly did the following signify: Passover → Unleavened Bread → Omer → 7 Weeks → Pentecost?</b></span></span></span></h2>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>16.1 The Meaning of Passover</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;On that night I will pass through Egypt, strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt—both man and beast—and execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt—I am the LORD. The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you dwell; when I see the blood, I will pass over (H6452 *pasach* — to pass over / spare / 'Pesach-passing over&#8217;) you. This day shall be a memorial for you, and you shall celebrate it as a festival to </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">; throughout your generations you shall celebrate it as an everlasting ordinance&#8221; – Exodus 12:12-14.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;This is the sacrifice (H2077 *zevach* — sacrifice / sacrificial offering) of the Passover (H6453 *Pesach* — Passover) to </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">, who passed over (H6452 *pasach* — to pass over / spare; 'Pesach-passing over&#8217;) the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and spared our houses&#8221; – Exodus 12:27.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Observe the month of Aviv and celebrate the Passover to the </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">, for in the month of Aviv </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YHWH</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> brought you out of Egypt by night&#8221; – Deuteronomy 16:1.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Passover, observed on the 14th of Abib, was generally a commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt; specifically, it memorialized the passing over—the sparing—of the Israelites from death. Those who heeded the command marked their doors with blood, thereby saving their firstborn from death. The Passover was celebrated in remembrance of this judgment and deliverance.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the Scriptures of the New Covenant, we find a continuation of this theme:</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;For the Messiah has been sacrificed as our Passover&#8221; – 1 Corinthians 5:7.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world&#8221; – John 1:29.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Knowing that you were redeemed from your futile way of life, inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things—silver or gold—but with the precious blood of the Anointed One, like a lamb without blemish and without spot&#8221; – 1 Peter 1:18–19.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Blood on the doorposts → saved from physical death. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The blood of Christ → saves from eternal death.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Israel was delivered through the blood of the Passover lamb; believers in Christ have been redeemed through the blood of the Anointed One.</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you&#8221; – John 6:53.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life&#8221; – John 6:54.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Passover was a memorial of deliverance through blood, a foreshadowing of the sacrifice of the Lord Yeshu, and a moment of passing from death to life. Today, we do not observe the Passover, but rather the Memorial of Christ’s death. Therefore, we do not copy what the Israelites did; we observe the Memorial in the way Christ and the apostles did.</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Then He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: 'This is My </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">ody, which is given for you; do this in </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">R</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">emembrance of Me!'&#8221; – Luke 22:19.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>16.2 The Significance of Unleavened Bread</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; you shall remove leaven from your houses&#8221; – Exodus 12:15.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;No leaven shall be seen with you for seven days&#8221; – Deuteronomy 16:4.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;You shall eat nothing leavened&#8221; – Exodus 12:20.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;On the first day there shall be a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly&#8221; – Exodus 12:16.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;You shall do no work&#8221; – Leviticus 23:7–8.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And you shall tell your son on that day: This is because of what YHWH did for me when I came out of Egypt&#8221; – Exodus 13:8.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And when your son asks: What does this mean? – you shall answer him&#8230;&#8221; – Exodus 13:14.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unleavened bread was a time of conscious stopping, cleansing and spiritual reset. The removal of leaven from homes symbolized the removal of old thinking, sin, falsehood and bad habits. Seven days without leaven taught simplicity, humility and dependence on God, and at the same time reminded that the exit from Egypt meant a complete break with the former life.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was an annual time of renewal of heart, mind and behavior/attitude, so that Israel would not only remember the miracle of deliverance, but actually return to purity and obedience to YHWH. Eating unleavened bread was reminiscent of the simplicity, haste of the Exodus from Egypt, and separation from the old life. It was a time of remembrance, purification and learning for the next generation. The Israelites were to pass on knowledge to the entire generation about what had happened in Egypt.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The New Covenant refers to the spiritual mechanism of this holiday:</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Get rid of the old yeast, that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are&#8221; – 1 Corinthians 5:7.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Therefore let us keep the festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth&#8221; – 1 Corinthians 5:8.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Watch out for the yeast of the </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">p</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">harisees and </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">s</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">adducees&#8221; – Matthew 16:6.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Watch out for the yeast of the </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">p</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">harisees, which is hypocrisy&#8221; – Luke 12:1.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unleavened bread signifies a life of sincerity, truth, and purity, free from the yeast of sin, falsehood, and hypocrisy. The Israelites were to pass on the truth about the entire process and significance of the Exodus from Egypt. We are to pass on the truth about the meaning of Christ’s death, His teachings, and life in the New Jerusalem.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In other words:</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Passover → salvation, deliverance.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unleavened Bread → transformation of life, spreading </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">of B</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">iblical truth.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>16.3 The Significance of the Omer</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">What exactly did they do?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">They brought the *omer*—a sheaf of the harvest&#8217;s firstfruits—to the priest:</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;You shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest&#8221; – Leviticus 23:10.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The priest would &#8222;wave&#8221; or &#8222;lift&#8221; the sheaf before YHWH on the day after the Sabbath:</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;On the day after the Sabbath, the priest shall wave it&#8221; – Leviticus 23:11.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Until the day this offering was made, there was a prohibition against eating the new grain:</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;You shall eat neither bread nor roasted grain nor fresh grain until that very day, until you bring the offering of your God&#8221; – Leviticus 23:14.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Firstfruits are the &#8222;best beginning&#8221;—brought to the house of YHWH:</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;You shall bring the best of the firstfruits of your land into the house of YHWH&#8221; – Exodus 23:19.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Firstfruits are presented before YHWH as an act of thanksgiving and acknowledgment of His authority over the land:</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;You shall take the first of all the produce&#8230; and place it before YHWH&#8221; – Deuteronomy 26:2.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The *omer* (sheaf) is the first sheaf—the initial portion of the harvest—set apart for YHWH as a sign that the entire harvest belongs to God. Before this sheaf was brought and &#8222;waved&#8221; before YHWH, the new crop could not be used; only after this ritual could the people eat of the new grain.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Firstfruits are the first and best part of the produce or harvest, set apart for God as:</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">a sign of gratitude,</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">an acknowledgment that the harvest comes from YHWH,</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">the entire harvest is under His blessing and sovereignty.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">namely:</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Omer — a sheaf / a measure of a sheaf; the &#8222;sheaf of the harvest&#8217;s firstfruits&#8221; brought to the priest. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Firstfruits (Heb. *bikkurim*) — &#8222;first produce / the best of the beginning,&#8221; consecrated to YHWH.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Let us see how the New Covenant refers to these </b></span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>holidays</b></span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>:</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;But now the Messiah has been raised from the dead as the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep&#8221; – 1 Corinthians 15:20.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Each in his own order: the Messiah first&#8221; – 1 Corinthians 15:23.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures&#8221; – James 1:18.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;We have the firstfruits of the Spirit&#8230;&#8221; – Romans 8:23.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;They were redeemed as firstfruits for God and the Lamb&#8221; – Revelation 14:4.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Spiritual significance</b></span></span></span></h3>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Omer = the resurrection of the Lord Yeshu as the firstfruits of the new creation,</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">that is:</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">the omer — a foreshadowing of the entire harvest,</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">the resurrection of Christ — a foreshadowing of the resurrection of believers.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>16.4 The significance of the seven weeks</b></span></span></span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;You shall count seven weeks; from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain&#8221; – Deuteronomy 16:9.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The harvest season lasted seven weeks—a time of growth, ripening, and gathering the crops.</span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest&#8221; – John 4:35.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few&#8221; – Matthew 9:37.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest&#8221; – Matthew 9:38.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;The one who sows and the one who reaps will rejoice together&#8221; – John 4:36.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;One sows and another reaps&#8221; – John 4:37.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace&#8221; – James 3:18.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap&#8221; – Galatians 6:7</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart&#8221; – Galatians 6:9.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Seven weeks is a time of growth, ripening, and harvesting.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This also applies to the proclamation of the Good News throughout the earth. Just as a seed needs time to ripen for the harvest, people need time for spiritual growth, coming to know God, the transformation of the heart, and bearing fruit. The period from the Omer to Pentecost represents a picture of the spiritual harvest.</span></span></span></p>
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>16.5 – Pentecost</b></span></span></span></h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Establishment of the holiday:</u></span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;You shall count fifty days up to the day after the seventh </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">s</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">abbath&#8221; – Leviticus 23:16.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;You shall observe the </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">f</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">east of </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">w</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">eeks&#8221; – Deuteronomy 16:10.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Fulfilling:</u></span></span></span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together&#8221; – Acts 2:1.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit&#8221; – Acts 2:4.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;On that day, about three thousand souls were added&#8221; – Acts 2:41.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pentecost marked the conclusion of the counting of the seven weeks from the Omer. In the Old Scriptures, it was associated with the harvest and the bringing of an offering to God. In the New Scriptures, on this day, God gave the Holy Spirit and began a great spiritual harvest: about three thousand souls joined the disciples.</span></span></span></p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/passover-unleavened-bread-omer-pentecost-the-spring-feasts-of-israel-part-7/">Passover – Unleavened Bread – Omer – Pentecost. The Spring Feasts of Israel – Part 7</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://jesu.pl/passover-unleavened-bread-omer-pentecost-the-spring-feasts-of-israel-part-7/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Demon Worship</title>
		<link>https://jesu.pl/demon-worship/</link>
					<comments>https://jesu.pl/demon-worship/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hubert Brzoza]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2026 22:26:34 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jesu.pl/?p=3669</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Bible does not portray demons as fairy tales, legends, or humorous anecdotes. It presents them as real spiritual forces that draw people away from God. Sometimes this happens openly—through the worship of foreign gods, divination, sorcery, and attempts to contact spirits. At other times, it occurs more subtly—through false teachings, lies, pride, and hidden [&#8230;]</p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/demon-worship/">Demon Worship</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible does not portray demons as fairy tales, legends, or humorous anecdotes. It presents them as real spiritual forces that draw people away from God. Sometimes this happens openly—through the worship of foreign gods, divination, sorcery, and attempts to contact spirits. At other times, it occurs more subtly—through false teachings, lies, pride, and hidden idolatry. Today, idolatry includes praying to God through images or through people who have not been authorized by God.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let us remember that the principles of faith were handed down by Christ to the apostles, and it is only from them that we can derive our faith. Anything added that is not found in the teachings of Christ constitutes idolatry.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scripture clearly shows that a person can serve demons not only by consciously invoking their names. One can also serve them by participating in the worship of idols or human beings, seeking guidance from mediums, believing in fortune-telling, following spiritual deception, or accepting teachings that sever one’s connection to God’s truth.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">That is why the Bible speaks so strongly against baal, goat-demons, divination, idolatry—such as bowing down to images—and false prophets. God leaves no room here for a divided path. Either a person serves the True God, or they surrender their heart, attention, and obedience to evil spirits, demons, and satan.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let us examine what God says about the worship and teachings of demons.</span></span></span></p>
<h1 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Worshipping demons</b></span></span></span></h1>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Offerings to spiritual powers:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And they shall no longer offer their sacrifices to goat-demons, after whom they have committed spiritual prostitution. This shall be a statute for them throughout their generations&#8221; — Leviticus 17:7.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible clearly shows here that offering sacrifices to alien spiritual beings is an act of betrayal against God. It is not a &#8222;neutral ritual.&#8221;</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Sacrifices to demons, not to God:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;They sacrificed to demons, not to God—to new gods, whom they had not known before&#8221; — Deuteronomy 32:17.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This verse states very clearly: demons are behind foreign worship. People may call it a &#8222;new spirituality,&#8221; but the Bible calls it something else.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Surrendering children to demons:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons&#8221; — Psalm 106:37.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here we see the extreme fruit of demon worship: the destruction of life, the shedding of innocent blood, and a complete turning away from God. In other words, they murdered their children for the sake of evil spiritual beings and false ideals.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Organized demon worship:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Jeroboam appointed priests for the high places, for the goat-demons, and for the calves he had made&#8221; — 2 Chronicles 11:15.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This verse shows that Jeroboam established a foreign system of worship: high places, his own priests, calves, and &#8222;goat-like&#8221; entities or idols. This is not a description of goat farming, but a description of idolatry.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">What does &#8222;goat-demon&#8221; mean?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"> <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hebrew word *sa‘ir* / *se‘irim* denotes a goat, a hairy male goat—something rough or hairy. However, this same word family also has a religious usage: &#8222;satyr,&#8221; &#8222;demon,&#8221; &#8222;goat-demon,&#8221; or a goat-like idol.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Pagan sacrifices = participation with demons:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;What the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God&#8221; — 1 Corinthians 10:20.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is an important message. It tells us to examine the teachings of Christ carefully—not to simply believe religions, but to scrutinize their beliefs. If we fail to do this, we might find ourselves believing unbiblical doctrines or participating in holidays and religious observances dedicated to demons.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. One cannot sit at the table of the Lord and of demons:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of both tables” — 1 Corinthians 10:21.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible leaves no room for interpretation here. It is impossible to serve God while simultaneously embracing false teachings and unbiblical beliefs.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. People do not want to stop worshipping demons:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Even after God’s judgments, people did not turn away from worshipping demons and idols&#8221; — Revelation 9:20.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It turns out that right up to the fulfillment of Biblical prophecies, people will continue to worship demons and idols. This serves as yet another call to personally safeguard one’s faith and adhere to sound biblical teachings.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>8. Prohibition of divination, omens, sorcery, and necromancy:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Let there be no one among you who practices divination, sorcery, consults a medium, or inquires of spirits or the dead&#8221; — Deuteronomy 18:10–12.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible regards these practices as detestable, not as &#8222;innocent curiosity.&#8221; They represent an entry into forbidden spiritual territory: fortune-telling, spiritism, divination, and the realm of the dead.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>9. Do not ask the dead; ask God:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;When they say: 'Consult the mediums and the whisperers&#8217;—should the people not consult their God? Should the living consult the dead?&#8221; — Isaiah 8:19.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today, we would say: do not consult the dead, fortune-tellers, horoscopes, or cards. Such actions amount to replacing God with dark powers.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. Saul seeks a medium:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Saul ordered that a female medium be found so he could go to her for advice&#8221; — 1 Samuel 28:7.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Saul was gripped by fear and despair. Upon seeing the Philistine army, he sought an answer from God but received none. He then did something he had previously forbidden in Israel: he ordered that a female medium be found in Endor.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He went to her secretly, in disguise, to seek counsel. This illustrates how low the king had fallen. The narrative goes on to recount the pronouncement of judgment against him and the foretelling of his defeat.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Instead of trusting God, Saul turned to a medium for information. The Bible makes the account very clear: Saul died because of his unfaithfulness—because he did not keep God’s word and sought counsel from a medium rather than from the Lord.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>11. Saul also dies because he consulted a medium:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Saul died for his unfaithfulness; he did not keep the word of the Lord and sought guidance from a medium&#8221; — 1 Chronicles 10:13.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Death awaits a person for knowingly serving demons in any form, for treating them as gods, and for seeking their counsel.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>12. Israel engaged in murder, divination, and sorcery:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">They made their children pass through the fire, practiced divination and sorcery, and sold themselves to do evil” — 2 Kings 17:16–17.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We see here: idolatry → occultism → moral corruption and the killing of children.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>13. Manasseh – sorcery, divination, mediums, and spirits:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He practiced sorcery, divination, and magic, and consulted mediums and spiritists” — 2 Chronicles 33:6.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As king, Manasseh plunged the people into spiritual darkness. He combined idolatry with the occult: baal worship, asherah worship, the worship of the host of heaven, divination, sorcery, and consulting mediums and spirits. The Bible states plainly that this was evil in God’s eyes. Serving demons need not look like overt satanism; it can appear as “spiritual practices” that God condemns. Even something as seemingly innocent as a card reading falls into this category.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>14. The spirit of divination in the Acts of the Apostles:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;The girl had a spirit of divination and earned money for her owners by fortune-telling&#8221; — Acts 16:16–18.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We have an interesting example of divination here. The woman charged money for it. It turns out she possessed no actual talent, but rather a demon—a spirit of divination. Luke does not explicitly use the word &#8222;demon&#8221; (*daimonion*) here; instead, he writes that the girl had a &#8222;*pneuma pythōna*&#8221;—a &#8222;Python spirit&#8221; or &#8222;spirit of divination.&#8221; Paul commanded this spirit to leave her in the name of Yeshua the Anointed, and the spirit departed. From this, we know it was a demon.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>15. Teachings of demons:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Some will abandon the faith, following deceiving spirits and teachings of demons&#8221; — 1 Timothy 4:1.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Demons operate not only through rituals but also through deceptive teachings. Serving demons can take the form of accepting their lies. These lies are religious doctrines—teachings not found in the Scriptures. Examples include: the name &#8222;jesus,&#8221; the mother of God, the trinity, praying through images, and praying to so-called saints who have been elevated to the altars. These things are not in the Bible.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>16. </b></span></span></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>s</b></span></span></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>atan wants worship for himself:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;The devil demanded of Yeshu: 'Fall down and worship me'&#8221; — Matthew 4:9.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Satan’s goal is to usurp the worship that belongs to God. He wants every person on earth to worship him. That is why he employs various tricks, operating through different religions, addictions, lifestyles, mindsets, and so on.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>17. We are to serve only God:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;You shall worship the Lord your God and serve only Him&#8221; ​​— Matthew 4:10; Luke 4:8.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Contrary to appearances, this is not so easy. One must be well-versed in the teachings of Christ to avoid unwittingly worshipping demons or idols. All major religions do this.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>18. Idolatry and sorcery are works of the flesh:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Idolatry and sorcery are listed among the works of the flesh&#8221; — Galatians 5:20.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">How many people consult fortune-tellers or tarot cards, or pray to God through images, pictures, crosses, and medals? All of this is forbidden.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>19. Sorcery and idolatry end in judgment:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Sorcerers and idolaters—those who pray to images—have their share in the lake of fire&#8221; — Revelation 21:8.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Outside are sorcerers, the sexually immoral, murderers, idolaters, and those who love lies&#8221; — Revelation 22:15.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Whoever knowingly commits these things will be completely annihilated, because they have chosen satan, his demons, their beliefs, and their teachings.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>20. The nations are deceived by sorcery:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The nations were deceived by your magic/sorcery” — Revelation 18:23.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">God informs us that the nations worship false gods. They have been deceived.</span></span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>21. Lack of repentance for sorcery and impurity:</b></span></span></span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;People did not turn away from murders, sorcery, sexual immorality, and theft&#8221; — Revelation 9:21.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You must take your faith very seriously. If you follow the crowd or human tradition without examining the teachings of Christ, then you, dear reader, have surely already been deceived.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Do not think otherwise.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Those who do not personally seek Biblical truth have no chance of truly serving God. They usually serve deities not found in the Bible, such as: jesus, the mother of God, the trinity, jehovah, yahweh, mother Earth, etc.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is time for a change; it is time to wake up, for the deception of false religions is the greatest problem facing this world. People blindly believe in tradition—in the religion in which they were raised. They think God is leading them, yet they do not stop to consider: what kind of god is it?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scripture states that there are many gods, but there is only One True God…</span></span></span></p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/demon-worship/">Demon Worship</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://jesu.pl/demon-worship/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>How to Raise Children? How to Build a Family? – 50 Biblical Tips</title>
		<link>https://jesu.pl/how-to-raise-children-how-to-build-a-family-50-biblical-tips/</link>
					<comments>https://jesu.pl/how-to-raise-children-how-to-build-a-family-50-biblical-tips/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hubert Brzoza]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 22:32:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jesu.pl/?p=3644</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The modern world wants to take over the role of raising children from parents. The prevailing view is that it is best to send a child to daycare as early as possible, leaving socialist programs to mold them into &#8222;citizens of the world.&#8221; But what kind of people will they grow up to be? Let [&#8230;]</p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/how-to-raise-children-how-to-build-a-family-50-biblical-tips/">How to Raise Children? How to Build a Family? – 50 Biblical Tips</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The modern world wants to take over the role of raising children from parents. The prevailing view is that it is best to send a child to daycare as early as possible, leaving socialist programs to mold them into &#8222;citizens of the world.&#8221;</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But what kind of people will they grow up to be?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let us see what the Bible says about raising children.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I strongly recommend taking this advice to heart and simply putting it into practice. What is written in the verses below is the only path to building a happy family.</span></span></span></p>
<hr />
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>1. Parents—father and mother—are the first educators:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;My son, heed your father’s discipline and do not reject your mother’s instruction&#8221; – Proverbs 1:8.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Both are mentioned here: father and mother. The father provides discipline, guidance, and admonition; the mother provides teaching, instruction, and the wisdom of the home. The Bible does not say: hand the child over to strangers so they may shape his heart. It says: heed your father and mother.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>2. Parents are to teach their children the words of God daily:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;And these words that I command you today shall be in your heart; you shall impress them upon your children and speak of them when you sit at home, when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you rise&#8221; – Deuteronomy 6:6-7.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is one of the most powerful verses regarding child-rearing. God’s teaching must first reside in the parent&#8217;s heart and then be passed on to the children in everyday life: at home, on the road, in the evening, and in the morning. It is not a one-time lesson; it is a family lifestyle.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>3. The instruction of children is to be constant, home-based, and practical:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up&#8221; – Deuteronomy 11:19.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">God reiterates the same principle: children are to be taught at home and in the course of ordinary life. Parents are to teach not only through instruction but also through conversation, example, and daily decisions.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>4. Parents are to ensure that children do not forget the works of God:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> “Only guard yourself and watch over your soul very carefully, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen and so that they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; make them known to your sons and your grandsons” – Deuteronomy 4:9.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Parents and grandparents are to pass on to their children the testimony of God’s actions: what God did, how He led, how He saved, how He judged, and what He requires.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>5. Grandparents also play a part in passing on the truth:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">“…<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">make them known to your sons and to your grandsons” – Deuteronomy 4:9.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Grandparents can and should help in passing on Bible truth. They do not replace parents but provide support.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>6. The father has a special responsibility to lead his children in the Lord:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord&#8221; – Ephesians 6:4.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Greek uses the term *hoi pateres*—fathers. Next come two important words: *paideia*—upbringing, discipline, training; and *nouthesia*—admonition, instruction, guiding the mind. A father is not to be a tyrant, but a responsible guide of the household. He is to raise his children according to the teaching of Christ.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>7. A father must not break a child&#8217;s spirit:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they do not become discouraged&#8221; – Colossians 3:21.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible does not give a father the right to give in to bad moods. A father ought to possess authority—an authority that demonstrates justice and wisdom. If a father belittles, punishes unjustly, shouts, and provokes, he can break his child&#8217;s spirit.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>8. Children are to obey their parents in the Lord:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right&#8221; – Ephesians 6:1.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A child has a duty to obey their parents, but the text adds an important limitation: &#8222;in the Lord.&#8221; A parent has no right to lead a child into sin, idolatry, religious falsehoods, violence, or impurity.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>9. The commandment to honor father and mother confirms their authority:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> “Honor your father and mother—which is the first commandment with a promise” – Ephesians 6:2.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let us see how important this commandment is. The next verse explains the reason: “That it may go well with you and that you may enjoy a long life on the earth.”</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>10. Honoring parents is a commandment of God:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you&#8221; – Exodus 20:12.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Since a child is to honor their father and mother, this means that God has appointed parents as the first guardians, teachers, and protectors of the home.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>11. Mother and father are to be respected:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;Each of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths; I am the Lord your God&#8221; – Leviticus 19:3.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here, the mother is mentioned first, then the father. This strongly demonstrates that God does not overlook the mother. A child is to show respect to both parents.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>12. The mother also gives a teaching that must not be abandoned:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;My son, keep your father’s commandment and do not forsake your mother’s teaching&#8221; – Proverbs 6:20.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here again, we have both parents. The father—the commandment; the mother—the teaching. The Bible does not say that only the father teaches and the mother has no voice. The mother is a teacher of wisdom.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>13. A son must listen to his father and not despise his mother:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old&#8221; – Proverbs 23:22.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Upbringing does not end with childhood. God wants adult children to respect their parents.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>14. A mother can teach even a king:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;The words of King Lemuel; the instruction his mother taught him&#8221; – Proverbs 31:1.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a very important example. King Lemuel receives wisdom from his mother. A mother can teach her son moral principles and warn him against bad people and their methods, as well as against drunkenness and injustice.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>15. A father is to pass on wisdom to his sons:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding&#8221; – Proverbs 4:1.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There should be no situation where a father is so busy that he has no time for his children. A father is to teach, explain, warn, and lead his children toward the teachings of Christ.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>16. A father passes on what he himself was taught:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;For I was a son to my father, tender and the only one in the sight of my mother; and he taught me and said to me: Let your heart hold fast to my words, keep my commandments, and you shall live&#8221; – Proverbs 4:3-4.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This demonstrates the continuity of generations. The father, who was himself taught, is to pass the teaching on.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>17. Upbringing is to lead the child along the path of Christ:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it&#8221; – Proverbs 22:6.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a principle of wisdom: a child must be shaped from a young age in accordance with the truth of Christ. Then, as God promises us, he will not depart from it.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>18. A lack of discipline is a lack of love:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;Whoever spares the rod hates his son; whoever loves him disciplines him early&#8221; – Proverbs 13:24.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today, the world wants to raise children without consequences or correction. This is the wrong path. God says otherwise: children must be disciplined if they misbehave.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>19. Discipline should be administered while there is still hope:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;Discipline your son while there is hope, but do not let yourself go so far as to kill him&#8221; – Proverbs 19:18.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a crucial balance. The Bible commands discipline but forbids cruelty. A parent is to correct the child, not destroy them. Punishment is meant to save, not to humiliate.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>20. A child left to its own devices brings shame:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a boy left to himself brings shame to his mother&#8221; – Proverbs 29:15.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scripture tells us that leaving a child to their own devices—without instruction, boundaries, correction, or conversation—is a parenting mistake. The Bible says this brings shame to the family.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>21. Disciplining a son gives parents rest:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will bring delight to your soul&#8221; – Proverbs 29:17.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Proper upbringing requires effort at first, but later it brings peace. A parent who avoids correction merely postpones the problem.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>22. The father is to tell the children the truth about God:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> “A father will make known Your truth to his sons” – Isaiah 38:19.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A father is to teach his children the teachings of Christ. He should not only require good behavior but also speak to his children about God, His plans, and eternal life.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>23. The family is to pass on the works of God to future generations:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;We will not hide them from their children, telling the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has performed&#8221; – Psalm 78:4.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Children should hear not only about prohibitions but also about the greatness of God. Biblical upbringing is meant to build a memory: God acts, God judges, God saves, and God requires faithfulness.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>24. The goal of upbringing is trust in God:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;So that the coming generation might know—children yet to be born—that they might rise and tell their own children, so that they might place their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments&#8221; – Psalm 78:6-7.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The goal of upbringing is not merely social—to ensure the child is well-behaved. The goal is spiritual: for the child to know God, trust God, and keep His commandments.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>25. Children should know the meaning of the holidays and Biblical signs:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;And when your children ask you, 'What is this ceremony?&#8217; you shall answer, 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt.'&#8221; &#8211; Exodus 12:26-27.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Parents should explain the meaning of biblical events to their children. The child should ask, and the parent should be able to answer, about the festivals that were celebrated in the past and abou</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">t </span></span></span><a href="https://jesu.pl/?page_id=2213&amp;s=Christ's+death"><span style="font-size: large;">the most important observance for the servants of Christ—namely, the Memorial of the death of the Lord Yeshu.</span></a></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>26. The father is to explain to his son what God has done:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;You shall tell your son on that day, saying: 'It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt'&#8221; – Exodus 13:8.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is a father’s duty to explain </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">iblical truth. Biblical upbringing is very important. A child needs to understand the meaning of </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">iblical </span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">holidays</span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>27. The child is to ask, and the father is to answer:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;And when your son asks you tomorrow, saying, ‘What is this?’ you shall say to him: ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage’&#8221; – Exodus 13:14.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Bible envisions conversation within the home. Children ask; parents answer. This stands in contrast to a home where a child is raised primarily by the internet, peers, or teachers—without parental oversight.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>28. Parents are to explain the Biblical story:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;When your sons ask their fathers tomorrow, saying: 'What do these stones mean?&#8217; you shall tell your sons, saying: 'Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground'&#8221; – Joshua 4:21-22.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A father is to explain the works of God. This teaches the child to view history through the lens of God’s action rather than chance.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>29. The entire community is to hear the Law, including the children:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;Assemble the people—men, women, children, and the foreigner within your gates—so that they may listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and carefully observe all the words of this Law&#8221; – Deuteronomy 31:12.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here, the role of the assembly and of Bible gatherings is evident. Children are to hear the Word alongside adults. Yet, this does not absolve parents of their responsibility. The assembly helps, reminds, and teaches, but the daily burden of upbringing rests upon the parents.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>30. Children who do not yet know are to listen and learn the fear of God:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;And their children, who did not know, will listen and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live in the land&#8221; – Deuteronomy 31:13.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A child is not born with an innate knowledge of God. They must listen, learn, and see an example. Parents cannot simply assume the child will understand on their own; they must teach.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>31. Parents are to command their children to guard the words of God:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> “Take to heart all the words with which I am bearing witness against you today, and command your sons to observe carefully all the words of this Law” — Deuteronomy 32:46.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Parents are to instruct their children to respect God’s words. A Bible-based upbringing carries authority.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>32. The example of Timothy – mother and grandmother passed on the faith:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced that it dwells in you also&#8221; – 2 Timothy 1:5.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a very powerful example. Timothy’s faith was passed on to him by his grandmother and mother. It is proof that women in the family play an important role in passing on the teachings of Christ. It is not only the mother who teaches, but the grandmother as well.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>33. The child is to know the Scriptures:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which can make you wise unto salvation through faith in the Anointed One, Yeshua&#8221; – 2 Timothy 3:15.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A child should be taught the Scriptures from an early age; there is no need to wait until they are grown. God’s truth should be conveyed in simple language, appropriate for their age.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>34. Older women are to teach younger women to love their children:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> “So that they may teach the younger women good sense, love for their husbands, and love for their children” – Titus 2:4.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Older women should help younger women manage their households wisely. Note that love is something that must be learned. Love is not the kind of feeling portrayed in movies—a mere fleeting infatuation. Love means respect, faithfulness, honesty, caring for the family, passing on the truth, and so on.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>35. A mother is to keep the home in cleanliness and kindness:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;To be sensible, pure, workers at home, good, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled&#8221; – Titus 2:5.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When a wife fails to fulfill her domestic duties and does not acknowledge her husband as the head of the family, she reviles the word of God.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>36. The good widow was known for having raised children:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;Well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality, if she has washed the feet of the saints, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work&#8221; – 1 Timothy 5:10.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Raising children is listed as a good work. This means that God views the raising of children as a serious ministry, not as a trivial domestic matter.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>37. Younger women were to bear children and manage the household:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;So I want the younger ones to marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity for reproach&#8221; – 1 Timothy 5:14.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let us note the importance of having children and raising them to be servants of the Lord Yeshu.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>38. Parents are also to care for their children materially:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;For children ought not to lay up for their parents, but parents for their children&#8221; – 2 Corinthians 12:14.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A parent is to care for a child&#8217;s needs. Parental responsibility includes God’s Word and discipline, but also proper material provision.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>39. Whoever does not care for the members of their household denies the faith:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever&#8221; – 1 Timothy 5:8.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a very strong statement. A father, a mother, or children must not destroy the family. Caring for the family is part of the faith.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>40. Children are to obey their parents in everything that is pleasing to the Lord:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord&#8221; – Colossians 3:20.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Children are to obey their parents. They must not cause quarrels when they grow up. They are also responsible for ensuring the family remains steadfast in the teachings of Christ.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>41. As a child, Lord </b></span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Yeshu</b></span></span></span><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> was subject to His parents:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them; but His mother kept all these things in her heart&#8221; – Luke 2:51.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Lord Yeshu, though He was the Son of God, was subject to His earthly guardians during His childhood. This confirms the order of the home: a child does not rule over its parents.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>42. Parents are to bring their children to the Lord Yeshu, not turn them away:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Let the children come to Me and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these&#8221; – Matthew 19:14.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Children must not be cut off from the teachings of Christ. The family is to lead the child toward God.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>43. Children are an example of simplicity and humility:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven&#8221; – Matthew 18:3.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Anyone who learns the teachings of Christ should become like a child—starting with a clean slate. Religions have instilled incorrect beliefs, flawed doctrines, and false teachings in people. All of this must be cast aside so one can become like a child and learn anew.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>44. Whoever causes a child to stumble sins gravely:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea&#8221; – Matthew 18:6.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a warning to parents, teachers, relatives, and all adults. A child can be caused to stumble by a bad example, false teaching, violence, sexualization, idolatry, lying, and being led toward the world.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>45. A father cannot tolerate his sons&#8217; sin:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &#8222;I declared to him that I would judge his house forever for the iniquity of which he knew, because his sons were bringing a curse upon themselves, and he did not restrain them&#8221; – 1 Samuel 3:13.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Eli’s sons were grown men and priests who sinned openly before God. Eli was aware of their wickedness and admonished them with words, but he failed to restrain them firmly or remove them from the position where they continued to profane the service of God. Consequently, God judged not only the sons but also Eli’s house. This serves as a warning to fathers: a gentle conversation alone is insufficient when open sin persists in the home. Love devoid of truth, discipline, and decisive action can become complicity in evil.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>46. ​​A father cannot honor his children more than God:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Why do you trample upon My sacrifice and My offering, which I commanded in My dwelling, and honor your sons more than Me?&#8221; – 1 Samuel 2:29.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A parent can fall into the trap of family idolatry: protecting a child even when that child sins against God. The Bible is clear: God comes first. Love for one’s child cannot mean condoning evil or false beliefs.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>47. God chastises like a father his son:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you&#8221; – Deuteronomy 8:5.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">God sets the example: discipline is not an act of hatred, but a form of upbringing. A father should discipline in such a way that the child becomes obedient, is willing to learn, and fulfills their duties.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>48. God disciplines His sons through chastisement:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives&#8221; – Hebrews 12:6.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The New Covenant reiterates the principle: love without correction is not complete love. The purpose of discipline is to attain spiritual holiness, not to vent anger.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>49. Earthly fathers discipline, but God shows the purpose of upbringing:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;They disciplined us for a short time as they saw fit, but He does so for our benefit, that we might share in His holiness&#8221; – Hebrews 12:10.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Earthly fathers discipline their children as they see fit, but God disciplines purposefully, justly, and for our good—so that His children may share in His holiness.</span></span></span></p>
<h3 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>50. Good upbringing bears the fruit of righteousness:</b></span></span></span></h3>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">&#8222;No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful; later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it&#8221; – Hebrews 12:11.</span></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A child often dislikes correction in the moment. But wise correction bears fruit later: peace and righteousness. This distinguishes biblical discipline from violence.</span></span></span></p>
<hr />
<h2 class="western"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>According to the Bible, who is to raise children?</b></span></span></span></h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Father and mother</b> — the primary and principal duty of upbringing belongs to the parents. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Father</b> — bears a special responsibility for guidance, discipline, and admonition in the Lord. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mother</b> — plays a vital role as teacher, caregiver, and guardian of the home. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Grandparents</b> — should pass on the truth to the next generation. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Older women</b> — should teach younger women to love their children and manage their homes wisely. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The assembly of God’s servants</b> — assists in understanding Biblical themes and fostering spiritual unity. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">• <span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>God</b> — is the ultimate model of upbringing: He disciplines, teaches, and leads toward holiness.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A child is to be raised at home by father and mother—grounded in the Word of God and nurtured through discipline, love, admonition, example, and daily conversation.</span></span></span></p>
<p>Artykuł <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl/how-to-raise-children-how-to-build-a-family-50-biblical-tips/">How to Raise Children? How to Build a Family? – 50 Biblical Tips</a> pochodzi z serwisu <a rel="nofollow" href="https://jesu.pl">Jesu.pl</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://jesu.pl/how-to-raise-children-how-to-build-a-family-50-biblical-tips/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
